Gratitude Challenge: Day 4

If you could live your life again, would you do everything exactly the same? What would you change? Nothing probably. No matter how much I am tempted sometimes to think ill of the horrible and bitter things I've been through, I am always reminded, that these were the very things which made me strong, tough.- Auj Lazaro, an excerpt from her previous blog

Auj says...

Today, I would like to express my gratitude for all the pain and hardships I have gone through in my life as I was growing older.

I am thankful I knew how it is to feel starved without having nothing to eat.. now, I treasure almost every kind of meal.

I am thankful I knew how it is to have felt being lost in all levels and depths of my spirituality.. now, I know that I do not want to let go of God's words and love ever again.

I am thankful I knew how it feels to be mistreated.. now, I have become more gracious.

(and lots and lots more! However, it would defeat the purpose of the challenge for the day to just think of just one.. hence, let us not make it overly complicated to understand.. :))

I think pain is one of the most important and yet misunderstood elements which can make us truly stronger. Its true nature can even be considered as a different sense of blessing. A unique one.

I think that all the more that we avoid pain, we place ourselves farther away from growth as well. It's either we allow it to make us stronger or allow it to make complete strangers of our own selves. What would you choose?

Dori says...

Today I am grateful for still striving to attain my financial goals, at least I'm sure I'm not a slave of money.

I am grateful for having excess weight pre and post holidays. Auj always tells me appetite is a gift.

I am grateful for people who irritate me. It helps me understand why it's important to be understanding and stir away from being self-righteous.

I am grateful for the headaches caused by raising a growing kid. I can't wait until he grows up and becomes a parent himself.