Fwd: Thoughts on Gratitude

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Don Conover <donconover@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 11:06 AM
Subject: Thoughts on Gratitude
To: Craig Conover <cconover2@gmail.com>

I'm actually quite afraid of gratitude.  And I mean this very seriously.  Whenever I hear the advice that one should take the time to recognize the many blessings enjoyed in life.  I think, "That's nice; such good advice!  I will do that soon."  Even this invitation from Craig worried me.  I wanted to do it, but I also could see, if I was truly honest with myself, that I kind of hoped the opportunity would slip by, and my lack of contribution would go unnoticed.  Then came the reminder message from Craig, this morning.  Something like, (imagine the high-pitched, playful voice of a parent, calling out to a two-year-old, whose feet remain visible, though attempting to hide behind the couch) "I see you guys...yes Don, I see you too...come on out now and write something down for me."   

If Gratitude were a place, I would liken it to the Temple.  I like to go to the Temple, but I often keep it at arms length.  The perspective of actually being in the Lord's house, is difficult to hold onto.  I can go there briefly, stand in awe for a moment, but then I need to return to a perspective that is more natural for me.  It's easier to think of the Temple as a beautiful building, spiritual to be sure, a place of prayer and contemplation, but more like an ornate chapel than an actual abode of the Most High God.  Gratitude too is easiest for me if taken in little doses.   Like my visit to the park the other night with Jeff and my kids.  They were doing the monkey bars.  The thought occurred to me that I could go over there and attempt a pull up.  But I was content to just HANG by my arms for a moment, pleased that my fingers didn't give way.

Deep gratitude, the kind I know my soul needs for the development of meekness and other essential virtues (as Craig so beautifully taught about) is hard for me.  Nephi says, "the guilty taketh the truth to be hard."  I can't shake how perfectly my experience fits with this description.   Gratitude, at it's finest, is seeing things as the truly are, seeing our own condition for how hopeless it is, and then seeing the Salvation of Christ for how all encompassing, and eternal, and glorious it is.  So if guilt prevents me from experiencing wholeness and truth, without being so overwhelmed that I hide behind the couch, then at least I can see where I need to go.  That's right, repentance.   So now I'm trying to find a better place to hide...ahhhh haaa, the dryer, Craig won't find me there!  

"For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth."  Dryers are not the best places to hide...hot, cramped, and absolutely brutal once they are turned on.   It's like the Lord gives us places like dryers to hide so that we will realize, at some point, that hiding is not the answer.  I'm grateful for dryers; every attempt to hide in them reminds me to stop trying to find the easy way - because the easy way is harder, to stop just hanging from my arms - because there's no grow small endeavors, to stop treating sacred things casually - because if God just wanted us to have pretty things, he could have stopped at sunsets and flowers, whereas Temples bring us into His presence!  

I love how life has so many days.  Today I can repent and step further into Gratitude.  And tomorrow, I can go further still.  

A BIG thank you to those who have contributed thoughts on Gratitude.  And WOW, to read some of the profound insights of the children!  Yes Luke, "Gratitude changes everything!  Gratitude is like a light to happiness!"  And Chelsea, "Gratitude is turning sadness into happiness," how did you know that?!   Our children will bear up the Kingdom of God amidst the most severe attacks ever launched by the adversary, in the history of the world.   The heavens have dropped the best they have to fight these latter-day battles, and to think we get to have them as our children!  I can't even handle how grateful I am for that!