Gratitude

On Monday it was three years since my mum died. I remember last year Auntie and I spent a lovely morning at Savill Gardens reminiscing and chatting about mum and my dad too. I was in a completely different place spiritually and emotionally and spending that special time with Auntie was absolutely what I needed.

This year as I said I'm in a different place, and that caused my thoughts and memories to be ones of gratitude and to feel a sense of peace. I understand grief is a complicated concept and something we all have to deal with in our lives at some point. I also understand that we deal with it in many ways, but for me...at the moment.....I have a confidence that God has his hand on my life, and has helped me turn a corner in my grieving process.

The continual support of family and friends and the healing and restoration of relationships in my life have all contributed to this corner being turned. I know God has provided me with some fabulous people over the last three years helping me deal with all the aspects of grieving and loss....it hasn't been easy and I know I haven't arrived, as it were.....none the less I know I'm in a better place, and even beginning to think what my next challenge might be!!

There have been some dark days and yet as a good friend of mine said to me recently, 'each year there are more good days than bad, which means I must be making progress'. I am so grateful for those people God has put across my path to help me through this season and so grateful for the wonderful relationship I had with my mum.

As I read in my Morph studies recently, gratitude protects us from our hearts being darkened. In other words if we are grateful for the blessings we have in life, and intentional about thanking God and people for what they have done to help us, then we feel blessed and our hearts are made stronger. Why not give it a go, I know it's working for me.