Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays -perhaps because it's around my birthday - but, even more because at an early age, I was aware of all the many gifts I had been given.. -Several years ago, I started doing a GRATITUDE JOURNAL - writing at least 5 things each day for which I am grateful - I've become so conscious of all the GOOD in my life....
In this article, I want to share with you one key principle I've learned by practicing gratitude and I'm going to do it by telling you a story:
Key principle -
We have every reason to be grateful -
because We always have all we need -
but we don't always recognize it:
The following story comes from Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit living in India. His tales are for people of all faiths.
A man decided to follow the will of God, and for his direction he went out alone into the forest. In a clearing he saw a three legged fox. 'I wonder how that fox survives?' he said to himself. 'I will hide here and discover the answer to this mystery.' In due course a tiger appeared, with the remnants of a carcass in its jaws. It ate its fill, and then left the remains for the little three legged fox.
The man thought this was wonderful, and started to pray. He prayed for days, and gradually, into his prayers there came a strange and nagging feeling. He was hungry. The little fox too, was hungry, and had removed every scrap of meat from the bones of the carcass. Eventually the prayers of the little fox must have been answered. The tiger returned, and again it carried a freshly killed animal in its jaws. The man rejoiced, and started to pray fervently, with pictures of a great and wonderful banquet in his mind. The tiger left, the little fox ate his fill, and curled up to sleep. The man almost cried out for hunger, and prayed even more.
After three more days the prayers had changed. Not a banquet - even a crust of bread would do. He was starving to death. The little fox too, was getting hungry. At last the tiger returned, and again it carried fresh meat.
The man cried out against God. 'Lord', he said 'You have deceived me. You led me out here to the forest, you brought me to this clearing and you showed me this little three legged fox. You showed me how he was fed and Lord I prayed to you all this time and now I'm dying of hunger. Is this the way you treat your disciples?'
At that very moment a voice answered the man.
'A three legged fox? No, I didn't show you a fox. I showed you a tiger'
Life continually presents us with tigers - but, we're so busy looking for foxes that we miss the message. The course in Miracles - I'm never upset for the reason I think...
Always look for ANOTHER meaning.
We can be midlife women in the age of miracles when we live with an attitude of gratitude for everything that comes into our lives. Let us recognize grace when it comes to us.
If you would like to learn more about this and other principles that can help you achieve a more successful midlife, subscribe NOW to my free Women Reinvent Midlife newsletter. You will receive instant access to a special report called, "7 Secrets for Reinventing Midlife from the Inside-Out". Do that NOW and submit your own comments on my blog Midlife Messages
Dr. Toni LaMotta, Midlife Reinvention Specialist, award winning author, and inspirational keynote speaker.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Toni_LaMotta
Dr. Toni LaMotta - EzineArticles Expert Author
