I have many thoughts swirling around in my head on the subject of gratitude. The daily practice of gratitude has saved my life, has lifted me out of the pit of despair and negativity, and placed me on solid ground. There is gratitude though, and there is gratitude, or I will call it, deep gratitude. Gratitude, I practice on a daily basis, writing out my list and remembering how much I really have in my life. Gratitude is reflective, an acknowledgement to God, a thank you for all the gifts we receive on a daily basis if we only notice them. The hummingbird at my feeder, the turkeys crossing the road, my family and health and cozy little home. Deep gratitude is experienced when practicing gratitude and allowing God in, experiencing the full feeling of being truly happy and expressing the emotions. Deep gratitude is active, an exchange of feeling and emotion for gifts received. Type a few things that you are grateful for, food, clothing, shelter, loved ones, a promotion maybe, or a box of chocolate covered cherries. That is gratitude. Now feel your face light up as you think of a loved one you are truly thankful for. Thank God over and over for this person, allowing love to build up inside and bubble over in joy. That is deep gratitude. We are all put here on this beautiful planet to live joy filled lives. If we do not notice all that surrounds us that is beautiful, and exactly as it should be, we will not find peace and happiness. Because the gifts of this world far outnumber the sorrows. We just have to be vigilant and keep our eyes peeled for those gifts. Much joy and happiness to you as you venture forth on this day.
● About Me
I wrote and published my first blog post on May 26, 2009. I was about to turn 36 and had been accepted to Mount Holyoke College as a non-traditional student, on my way to completing a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Medieval Studies. I had managed, finally, to know what general direction I was traveling. As a self proclaimed voracious reader I knew that I needed a vocation that would allow me to engage daily with words: reading words, writing words, and hearing words. I also needed to eat, so I navigated my way to a teaching position and I began to fine tune my craft. I love to teach and I love my students, but I also needed to continue to hone my own literary technique, voice, and style. I continued my education in order to delve deeper into literature, making connections, and most definitely, writing. I gained more confidence as a reader as well as a writer of both creative and analytical text. That first blog post in 2009 is short, the writing average, and the topic mundane, but as I continued to learn from other writers I began to understand that to become a better writer I needed to write more. Each time I write and release a poem, a post, or a story, I hone my skills. I invite you along for the ride, for this journey of mine as I attempt to wrangle a wealth of ideas and competing directions into an organized freshly paved path to publication. I might get distracted along the way, but sometimes those detours lead us to amazing views and new friends.
Laura Smith Writer 
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