“Your core values are
the deeply-held beliefs
that authentically describe
your soul.” 
John C. Maxwell

I’ve often been asked if I write a blog post and then find an image to support it, or if I select an image and then write a blog post. My answer is always the same. “Yes!” I have done both. Today’s blog post is based on this image I came across yesterday. I’d never seen it before, but it is one to which I can easily relate.

Those who know me, or who have followed my writing, are well aware of my focus on gratitude. Two months ago, I published my fifth book, A Focus on Gratitude. 

Hopefully, my passion for gratitude is clearly evident, not only in the things I write, but in how I live my life. It hasn’t always been this way. For much of my life, I took people and things for granted. For many years, I had convinced myself that my accomplishments were my own — achievements for which I could take full credit. Fortunately, I was able to outgrow this self-centered mindset and realize that everything I’ve accomplished in my lifetime has depended upon many other individuals, without whom such success would never have been possible.

Yes, I am grateful. I grew up in a loving, nurturing family. I received an excellent education at every level. Tremendous opportunities became available to me, not because of my stellar qualifications or accomplishments, but out of the genuine kindness of others. I met and married a woman who is my friend, soulmate, and confidant. We were blessed with three sons who, despite the predictable challenges of adolescence, have grown up to be responsible, contributing members of society. And the icing on the cake has been the opportunity to know and love our five grandchildren. As I said, I have much for which to be grateful.

It’s been said that what we focus on is what we see. When we focus on the negativity in the world, it is clearly evident to us. When we choose to focus on the good in the world, it’s amazing how much good we are able to recognize around us day to day. This is why, for me, a focus on gratitude is critical to my overall well-being. This is also why I choose to see the world today Through the Lens of Gratitude.

Passion? That’s a strong word, yet I don’t hesitate to use it to refer to my motivation to write and speak about gratitude. I want to share the gratitude I experience with others. I want to encourage others to recognize the many blessings in their own lives for which they can be grateful. Most of all, I want to motivate people to express their gratitude to others, especially to those responsible for those blessings in their lives. As American novelist, Gertrude Stein, wrote, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”