Living in Gratitude

CS November 2017 Blog by Betsy Nero.

It seems over the past few years we hear more and more to have an “attitude of gratitude.” It is suggested that we keep a gratitude journal or to pray a gratitude examen at the close of the day.

I just had the good fortune of being with a group of women for their annual fall retreat where the theme was gratitude. Over the course of the weekend their private prayer was to write on tags those things for which they are grateful.  That communal event was very prayerful and powerful as each retreatant was getting in touch with the generosity of a loving God.

There really is so much to be thankful for…I know it sounds cliché, but God is good.

I can always find even in my troubles and challenges something peeking out that reminds me how good I have it.

Just got over a really bad chest cold (one that was only finally knocked out by antibiotics) and I found in the full week of being house bound the goodness of being still and the chance for endless thought and reflection. Sometimes when we are thrown off course we get the opportunity to reframe our lives and see things from a slightly different angle.

When I was hired to teach in a Catholic elementary school after years of teaching high school I found that I was honestly living a dream. My role was teaching religion to 7^th, 6^th, 3^rd, and kindergartners.  The younger two grades especially were fabulous.  Everyday pure joy!  What a gift to teach faith to little sponges.  And then out of the blue my position was eliminated. But out of the loss comes another position equally grand if not better in so many ways.

We never know just what life is going to hand us, but often the surprises are ones we never could have planned for on our own.

So in this month of Thanksgiving I am most grateful for the changes of the past couple of years that have allowed me to lead retreats, teach kindergartners, read great books, and have the position now of co-anchor with Sr. Carol Kandiko at Centering Space – all of which has enhanced my faith journey. God is good!