Not to long ago I saw everyone on social media post about how grateful they were about the hot shower they took, the walk in the park or the smile from a stranger. I really thought it was a bit over the top. I could not believe being grateful was something that one could consider as sane. But then as they reached day 365 of sharing their gratitude I discovered that they smiled more, complained less and were enjoying the time more than before. How is this possible? I wanted to experience this for myself. Almost as if I saw a person eat an ice cream cone and I wanted one too. I kind of started to get curious. What is it; what does it taste like? I wanted to experience this, but I was not sure how. At night I got a little book and I wrote down three or 5 things that I was happy about. Still, it felt a bit forced and fake.
How can you be grateful when pissed off or grumpy. I just kept going and going with the book. I connected with others doing the same thing. Still, I did not feel any different then before. I felt quite neutral about being grateful. Then I fell on the street. I missed a step and landed on a piece of broken pavement. I landed on my back in front of a car and the car stopped. A herd of people looked and two of them seemed considered enough to stop. I was very grateful for these two: to be showing their concern so i smiled. I quickly decided to zoom in on the strongest of the two and asked for help to get up. "I do not think I can get up by myself" the more patient of the two I asked "can you guide met to that chair nearby: at that cafe."
Two soccer players and musicians were sitting next to me saying that I have adrenaline now and I can keep going, but as soon the swelling starts kicking in. They told me if I want to make it home: to keep on moving. They even invited me to their concert in Paradiso, but they assumed I would not make it. I declined their offer and agreed that I should take it easy.
Upset about not being able to trow a dinner party for my friends. My friends came anyway but with their kids and enough pizza to feed me. I was super grateful for getting food brought to me and the kids were entertained as they watched my foot go from yellow to blue to green in just a few minutes. Seeing the curiosity in those eyes and their compassion again was something to be grateful for. Learning to walk again and move was a free course in gratitude! Now with each step, I feel like I just won a marathon. And the strange thing is I am even grateful for breaking my leg and all the things I learned from it?!
Now it so happened that for an online course I wished for more biodiversity in my street and in my life, I did not expect slugs to find a way to the 5th floor of an apartment building in the city of Amsterdam. I kind of wanted pets but when I wished for biodiversity I was thinking more of trees and plants, slugs in my studio apartment was not something I had in mind when I made the wish... But then again they always say "becareful what you wish for" because sometimes wishes might come true.
