is for dial
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I watched the Hitchcock classic Dial M for Murder last night, but my dreams happily latched on to the concept and provided a different spin. They had me dialing J for Joy. On a rotary phone of course. And whether it’s my unconscious urging me to embrace a more Luddite lifestyle or just encouraging me to laugh in my dreams, the next scene was delightful – a very busy switchboard office crowded with lots of Angels plugging phone cords into the appropriate jacks. So now we know who is charge of connecting those joy calls.
I woke up with a smile on my face, and knowing today’s abecedarium entry would be dial.
But more like a radio dial than a phone. Because I think we have immense control over what we’re listening to – we’re in charge of turning the dial to the stations we want. So why not turn the dial to Gratitude?
I’m the first to say that all emotions are useful – there is always something available to discover in every moment. But we don’t have to lock on to those things that leave us feeling diminished. Sometimes I think our job is like a sunflower – to keep orienting ourselves to the light. And that’s one of the most profoundly useful reasons for me for having a gratitude practice.
I love this quote by Melody Beattie:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
While I can’t exactly include a radio dial in this message tuned to a gratitude station, maybe you’d like to take a peek at this short youtube video that opens up the idea that perhaps it’s possible to look at even the things that feel most challenging in life and use it as an opportunity to practice gratitude.
You don’t have to start there – you can start wherever you are and know it’s perfect. And for me today I saw squirrels dancing with acorn treats. That’s a delight I’m grateful for. Acorns. Squirrels. Autumn. Perhaps a new tree somewhere sometime in the future. It’s all good.
What about you? What’s your gratitude dial tuned into today? Do tell, you know I love to hear.
Love the concept of dialing into areas of our life like a radio dial and focusing on the gratitude station – super fun analogy. I am grateful for my beautiful walk this morning that was filled with birds, bees and butterflies!
Oh how lovely Minette. I haven’t seen butterflies in a while here, but I woke up to some singing birds which is always the best.
My gratitude dial is tuned into the stillness of the winter that is coming up. I am also dialed into gratitude for skiing! 🙂
I was looking at the sky today and thinking it looks like winter is whispering into the clouds. I suspect you’ll be pulling out those skis in no time.
My gratitude for one last fall day to walk in a beautiful public garden. 🙂 Thanks for this post, I love the idea of dialing into what’s next.
Oh that sounds delicious Jennifer. These late fall days become so precious don’t they, and a beautiful public garden is a wonderful place to spend time in.
Love the analogy with the sunflower. Keep rising in the right direction!
Yes, Sunflower is a powerful inspirer isn’t it?