Gratitude and Giving

When the rose bushes look like this......it's good to remember this will come:

My friend Beth's post about living a perfect day inspired me to this post. The new month is starting and it's time to reflect, if briefly, on how to be, now. Because now is the only moment we possess. The more we exist in the moment the more creative and effective that moment is.

So, how to exist in the moment? It's pretty hard to say, okay, okay, I'm in the moment! Okay, now I am again! But there are some things that help.

One is gratitude. When you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, exhausted, confused, stressed, anxious and all those other nasty feelings of our overcommitted world, stop and find one thing, no matter how tiny, to be grateful for. For example: it's snowed and snowed where I live. Driving is difficult and time consuming and a little dangerous. Shoveling is no fun. But I am grateful for my roses and know they shall bloom again. Being grateful for anything reminds me of how much more I have to be grateful for. A good car, with good tires, the ability to shovel the snow, and my how beautiful it is. Instead of stress and exhaustion I feel energized, exhilarated even.

And giving has the same effect. Even if it only takes a few minutes, or if it takes a lot of time, giving to others is a great stress releaser. When I help a friend, or a stranger, with anything, even opening a door, for example, I come out of myself and realize that my moments have value.

Every moment is to be grateful for and lived to the fullest. So what are you grateful for? How and when do you give? What happens with you when you're in the moment?