Today,
I wanted to.
.
.
Tell a story about gratitude.
About my experience of a gratitude and to ask you the question.
What is gratitude to you?
Especially.
When you're going through challenges.
When it feels like nothing is going right,
No matter what you do.
You just don't feel that joy and gratitude.
It's in these moments we take a pause,
Maybe take a breath.
Go for a walk,
Sit in the garden.
Maybe in listen to nature.
The birds singing,
The wind blowing through the trees.
Or perhaps your.
.
.
Out and about,
Or you're standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus.
Why not take a moment to look around?
Notice,
Become aware of the people.
Maybe even smile at them,
Say good morning.
Or even if you don't feel like it.
What's the weather like?
Is it raining?
Is it warm?
Is it cold?
Are the birds flying around?
It's about taking each moment.
And noticing and becoming aware.
Recently.
I was on a bus.
I took a moment to ponder and look around.
And it was interesting.
Because when you're driving a car.
You don't seem to notice things.
That are around you along the road.
The buildings,
Have they changed?
What they look like now?
How there's people walking their dogs on their way rushing to work.
You're so focused on driving and getting to where you're going that you don't notice these things.
Or if you're someone like me.
And you're listening to a car radio and singing along to those favorite tunes that you like.
So now back to the bus.
What if you were on a bus?
What would you notice?
What you do be aware of.
On this particular morning.
I got on the bus.
I was feeling a little low.
And as I watched the people getting on,
Some I recognised.
Because they catch the bus at the same time I do.
Every day.
I smiled.
I got seated.
And it was then that I noticed.
A man at the back of the bus.
And he was happily playing his guitar and singing.
And I was a few seats in front of him.
And I looked around the bus.
But nobody seemed to acknowledge or even notice him.
Now I as a musician myself.
I noticed and heard him.
He was.
Quite a good guitarist and singer,
Actually.
And I could sense and hear the essence of what was being played and sung.
And when you listen to the words.
He was singing about everyone who got on and off the bus.
Nor in a derogatory way.
But with gratitude and warmth.
To me,
That is someone with a grateful,
Grateful heart.
Here he was.
Just playing his heart out.
Singing about everything he was seeing and experiencing.
With so much joy.
And in that moment,
I found myself smiling and tapping along.
And all my worries.
And the challenges of the day.
Seem to just fade away.
When I got to my stop.
It seemed he was getting off too.
He let me go first and said,
Thank you,
My lovely.
For listening to me today.
Now when I travel on the bus,
I'm very aware of what I notice.
On and off the bus.
For me,
Gratitude is about noticing.
It's about being aware.
Putting your phone away.
And even having a conversation with the person next to you whom you may never have met and actually listen.
To them.
Just like me on the bus that day.
I noticed him.
I heard him.
And I was very grateful for the bus ride that day.
What about you?
Are you noticing things today?
Things that will lift your spirits.
Till next time,
Much love.
