GRATITUDE MONTH: DAY 2: “Unhappiness is a contagious disease caused by a chronic deficiency of gratitude.” ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
That’s it! I absolutely know there is nothing more to say after that statement, but you know I will expound anyway. Kinda my gig, right?
The more we sit around and bemoan this situation or that situation, the more unhappy we get. We cannot focus on the things that aren’t going our way and be happy. Ego will not allow it. So, let’s talk about this one more time.
Ego has only one purpose…to solve problems…it’s only function. Therefore, it has only one message: “everything in our lives is a problem…and you must only listen to me…or you are DOOMED!”
Oh! I see…and then, when we do, all we see are bigger and bigger problems. It is not possible to see anything good and fine in the world. CANNOT…or Ego will die.
Oh! So, what is it that we must do to counteract the Ego. One things stands out above the rest…to be in constant contact with something GREATER THAN EGO. Oh!
So, Ego comes back with…”There is NOTHING out there…and It doesn’t like you anyway…blah, blah, blah…” You know the story Ego has about denial of the Power. So many variations…come on…give Ego credit…brilliant narrative and plenty of circumstantial evidence…right?
So, now, not only is Ego driving the bus, but the bus is heading off a cliff…holy shit! So, now, what is to become of us? Well, we either have some sort of spiritual solution, or off the cliff we go! Oh! And, so, it may be a good time to write that gratitude list we have heard about.
And, for just one moment, temporary relief from Demon Ego. Okay…but then it tells us not to keep doing it, because it really wasn’t that great a tool anyway. Oh! So, we stop…and then… same pattern, different day. Geez!
What IF we just did it. Like the Nike ads…JUST DO IT! Oh! And then we start feeling good every day, and it is wonderful to be alive and WTF? No good addict can tolerate that for very long. We love our misery and our stories, so off we go.
This is the shit that baffles the HELL out of mental health professionals, families, and just about everyone else on the planet. WHY, OH WHY are we so hellbent on self-destruction? We have everything going for us and we are so fucking miserable. Why?
One answer friends…the same one…Ego…it’s undying devotion to misery and doom and gloom. Until we shift the focus of our lives to an ONGOING, CONSISTENT, PERSISTENT, WRITTEN, DAILY GRATITUDE practice, we are making sure Ego is still driving the bus. No matter how much money, property and prestige we get, we cannot and will not be satisfied or happy. It is an INSIDE job that only a spiritual connection can correct.
And that is the recognition that we are now, have been, and always will be, FUCKED until we get the complete understanding that all that is good and fine in this world is from somewhere or something other than ME. (US!) See? So, we must be in constant, ongoing, continuous and forever present knowledge that we are gifted with ALL THINGS GOOD AND FINE. And grateful for those gifts…in more than just talking about it. It takes action…and without action…it ain’t shit. So there! I am grateful for writing this today…it made me laugh…(And I got to say fuck a couple of times….I fucking love that!)
Dolphin Hug 