Gratitude Gap

I am on the train, the California Zephyr, headed from Emeryville to Truckee on my way home after a fantastic and unbelievably wonderful and glorious week with my one and only love Kate, and Kiki too, of course. Wow, it was a blast and incredible in every way.

More on that later…We've all been hearing about Gratitude in the media, from our friends and family, for quite a long time.

I've read about it, heard about it, talked about it, talked to myself a lot about it, and I've definitely gained strength and positivity by thinking about it.

However, recently it occurred to me that gratitude may not be hitting the mark that it should be hitting. It may not be delivering its Power in the manner intended. And I'm concerned and confused by that.

Do you hear a lot about gratitude and people referencing gratitude in many different ways? Much of it, as far as I've seen, tends to be completely private and held close to each of us as we focus on ourselves during yoga, meditation, and other practices in our daily lives.

As I've thought about and practiced gratitude over the last few years following my diagnosis, I've come to realize that it tends to be held close and not shared.

I may be completely behind the times, but I've come to realize that practicing and focusing and leaning on gratitude only to ourselves may not be the right approach. After extensive consideration, I've come to believe that gratitude is an action, not just an internal personal thought. Gratitude doesn't work unless you share it and pass it around!

At the same time, by sharing gratitude with one another and the world, its value and power would intensify by leaps and bounds.

I envision a shift to a future that finds us all sharing gratitude for our triumphs and challenges. This would inspire and build the power of gratitude for all.

What would happen if we all shared gratitude publicly and allowed others to share it and learn from it as we look at life and love and living and birth and death and suffering everywhere?

I envision a powerful force, a river of gratitude that flows continuously, reaching anyone and everyone through shared experience, shared love, and shared purpose.

Perhaps one might think that not everyone has gratitude to share. However, I find that hard to believe. Gratitude does not have to be grand or large or omnipotent. Gratitude can be the tiniest little thing. The shortest moment. A blink of the eye. And its power can and will grow and spread when it is shared and considered and paid forward, if you will.

I realize as I sit here on the train, heading up through the mountains of California toward my home, after experiencing absolute, incredible beauty and nature along the California coast, that maybe some might think of gratitude as a second thought. To the contrary, gratitude is my first thought. Gratitude fills my mind and my heart every moment of every day. Yes, even as I drag around the heavy weight of my new reality; I drag around a terminal diagnosis from a rare and incurable neurological condition that hopped into my life almost 3 years ago.

I'll be honest, it's been hell at times, and it's difficult to even put into perspective that this is part of my life. It's taken me to low points I never even thought existed.

But at the same time, it has taken me higher and brought me more real joy and love and feeling and hope; every day, every moment; right here, right now, in the present.

It has helped me cherish every moment and love in the most real and true manner, without hesitation, and in absolute truth and love.

In all of this, the gratitude I've discovered every day has taken hold of my life. Every moment and every experience; good, challenging, difficult, unpleasant, boring, or thrilling, has been something that I'm grateful for.

As I contemplate this, I hope you will consider transitioning your approach to gratitude on your journey. Don't hold back; share it, and let others benefit from the gratitude you feel. Shared gratitude from you to the world has the power to push us forward, build us up, hold us to the fire, and help us all strive to be better.

With that, enough of my yakking. Thank you for your consideration. I hope that even a little bit of what I've presented here sneaks in and snuggles into your mind as you press on every day, every moment, and recognize the beauty of life around you; the grand, the tiny, even the seemingly invisible. It's all there for you to share.

With that, I share my gratitude with all of you as I continue my ride on Amtrak headed from Emeryville, California up to beautiful Truckee and my home in Tahoe City for which I am truly GRATEFUL, Eric.