Yesterday I shared with you all about thanksgiving in all we do – a very helpful tool for a more peaceful life. My personal feeling is that you can never have enough gratitude. To help reinforce the idea, today I want to share a cute little fable I found called The Garden Vine – a story about being grateful for your blessings. (Used with permission.)
When Vida the vine realized there were big changes coming, she was none too happy. What will happen to the garden? How will she cope?
Vida, the creeping vine, enjoyed sharing the garden with all the other plants. They all got lots of sun and were gently cared for by their owner, Melanie.
One day, however, Vida noticed that she was growing much faster and far away from the other plants. While they continued to grow upwards from the ground, she started to spread across the back wall.
“Hey, Vida” remarked Ruben Rose, “Where are you heading to? Don’t you want to be our friend anymore?”
“Of course I want to,” replied Vida. “But I’m not sure what’s happening to me!” She continued in a disappointed tone, “Oh, I wish I was growing like you guys are!”
One day while Vida was busy bemoaning the fact that she was so different, Melanie came into the garden. When she looked up and saw that Vida was covering the back wall with lush greenery, she shrieked with excitement.
“Oh my goodness! How beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been waiting so long for the back wall to look like this. I’m so happy I planted a vine!”
When Vida heard this, she was suddenly filled with gratitude for her uniqueness. She had no idea that what was happening to her would bring so much joy to Melanie, and so much beauty to the garden!
“Now I know better than to complain about what I have,” she said to herself. “From now on, I’ll be sure to find the blessing in everything and be thankful.”
As expected, Melanie spent many days showing her friends just how beautiful her garden was because of her vine.
Moral of the story: When things seem like they aren’t going your way, be patient and grateful for all your blessings anyway.
The Garden Vine Self-Reflection
Vida totally enjoyed her life until she realized it was taking her in an unexpected direction. That new direction confused and frightened her. She resorted to complaining because it wasn’t what she wanted. She was happier with how her life was going before.
In time, however, she realized that if she spent some time thinking about it, she would have identified the blessing. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late for her to turn her frown into true gratitude.
That’s likely how life is for you sometimes. You’re fine with how things are going now, and completely disappointed when they change. It’s important, however, to find the blessing in each situation you encounter.
Changes in life usually mean better things are on the way for you. Take the time to identify what those better things are and be thankful for them.
When it’s difficult for you to see where a new road leads, have faith that it leads to positivity. Be grateful for the opportunity to experience new things. Appreciate that your situation is one that many others wish for.
Use each moment you have to focus on the good things in front of you. The more time you spend embracing blessings, the more blessings come your way.
Self-Reflection Questions:
- What are some of the blessings in my life that I take for granted?
- What steps can I take to turn a disappointing situation into a positive one?
- In what ways can I express gratitude each day?
Find your purpose – find your joy!
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Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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