To Water Down Our Grief

"We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure." --César Chávez

I am grateful
for my sorrow,
for my pain,
for my grief.
For these have led me to discover
my own inner strength.
These have taught me
just how much I am capable of
and prepared me to
address the needs of others.

It is thanks to my turbulent past
that I can remain calm in a crisis.
Whenever other people
have needs that must be met,
I am able to put
my own emotions aside
and help them.
But what if we could take this to another level...?

What if we could
water down our grief
with gratitude?

What if we could
water down our anxiety
with gratitude?

What if the answer
to all our deepest pain and sorrow
is to remember what we are grateful for?

How much easier
would life be
if we gave that a try;
If we found a way to remember
to interrupt our negative thoughts with,
        Thank God I made it through.
        Thank you God, for allowing me
        to carry so many fond memories.
        Thank you God, for giving me
        the strength and courage to keep on living.
        Thank you God, for my wonderful family
        and my fabulous friends.

And so I continue with even more thanksgiving:
        Thank you God, for each of my trials
        for they have caused me to cherish and to savor
        every delectable moment
        of blissful euphoria.
        Thank you for each of my tribulations,
        for they have given me
        a much more profound sense of gratitude
        for even the smallest visions of beauty;
        It does not take much
        for me to be filled to the brim
        with contentment.