The Power of Gratitude

Estelle T. Dunomes

What is the power of gratitude? One might even ask what is gratitude?

Well, let's just begin with a simple scenario.

The alarm clock just blew you out of your sweet reverie. It's 5:00 a.m. and the start of another day. You roll over, groan at the prospect of having to get up but, get up you must. Thoughts flood your mind of what has to be done but what you want instead is to pull the covers up over your head and go back to sleep. You're just not ready for another day! You'd rather eat a bucket of nails than to face life and what it has to offer.

Is this how you wake up in the morning? Are you protesting the rigors of life, your job, family life, your spouse? What kind of day are you going to have with this attitude? Can you guess?

On the other hand, what would your day be like if you flipped the script? Let's try that again!

The alarm clock goes off at 5:00 a.m. but you're already awake. You shut it off as thoughts of thankfulness fill your mind. Although you have a busy day ahead you find yourself ruminating about how blessed you are to be who you are, to have what you have, to be healthy with a healthy family, to be married to whom you are married; you're just happy.

With this frame of mind, you embrace the rigors of the day ahead of you even though you know it's going to be taxing. With that, although you don't know it, your heart beat and pulse are steady and measured; your muscles are relaxed and you have a ready smile for your spouse, your family and the world.

What's the difference? Gratitude! Again, the question is asked, what is gratitude?

Mirriam Webster's Online Dictionary defines "gratitude" as the state of being grateful or being thankful.

So, the first scenario offered groans and protestations of what is to come while the second awoke with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness. We can only imagine how each day progressed and ended. Just for the sake of examination however, let's focus on the second.

Gratitude and thankfulness go hand in hand and when practiced, provides you with the added benefit of enjoying the rightness of your world even when things get turned upside down as they sometimes do. What then does this do for you, your spouse, your marriage?

Marriage in itself is a many faceted relationship that has its ups and downs, its highs and lows, its triumphs and disappointments. Whatever then can make it sweeter, happier, more inviting and wholesome has great benefit and can be embraced by both parties.

Broadly speaking exercising gratitude and thankfulness daily for all that you have and specifically expressing it to your spouse continuously encourages greater and better rewards from your spouse. This is the power of gratitude within your marriage.

I call this the "circle of beneficience." Simply put, the circle of beneficience within a couple is when one spouse shows gratitude to their spouse and the remaining spouse responds in kind. The fun begins when one spouse attempts to practice more gratitude than the other. Practicing gratitude on this level shows not only that you love your spouse but that you appreciate who they are and whatever they do for you, with you and to you.

Showing gratitude is a simple thing with far-reaching benefits. Just saying a heartfelt "thank you" or sending a card or flowers or other tokens of appreciation on days other than birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries (but don't forget those days as well) to show your gratitude does wonders for your spouse and will do wonders for you.

Try it! The power of gratitude then is its ability when practiced to change your marriage and change your life. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the benefits and much happier as a result.

Not only is practicing gratitude one of the many things you can do to enrich, enhance and make your marriage happier but Your Journey Into Joy Includes These as Well!