I’ve engaged in listing 100 reasons to be grateful before—a few times in fact. This time I’m going to do half. I will prove 50 reasons can easily be done, and I’m going to prove 50 reasons for gratitude can be gleaned out of reflecting over just one week.
I’m going to list these in terms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
1. I am thankful that I had a warm, dry, clean bed in each of the four motels I slept in this week.
2. For the clean water, and in many cases, bottled water, that I enjoyed and that kept my body hydrated and healthy.
3. For the hot showers I had and the hot meals I was given whilst I was away from home.
4. Although my days were often 14-16 hours long, with travel and interactions and covering my business-as-usual, I did get an hour of downtime a day and six hours sleep most nights.
5. I am most thankful for the rest I’m getting now after a very full last six days.
6. I am thankful that I know I need to rest to sustain my energies, that I won’t allow myself to burn out.
7. For the amount and quality of the food I consumed, I am thankful that I got enough to eat but didn’t consume too much.
8. For the loveliest steak I think I’ve tasted in a while (at the Iron Clad Hotel in Marble Bar), I appreciate this experience.
9. That my body, as far as I’m aware, was sustained healthily this past week.
10. For the warmth in the milder north, I am thankful.
SAFETY NEEDS
11. I am thankful that in my week of travels, my family have been kept safe.
12. I am indeed grateful that during these travels of 2,000 road kilometres and 3,000 kilometres by air that apart from one flat tyre it was incident free.
13. For the safety and welfare my job intends to provide others, I am thankful.
14. I am thankful for the life training that has been given to me to risk assess and keep myself safe.
15. For the times I did take a risk, I am thankful that there was no incident.
16. For the amount of corners and bends we and I negotiated safely on the roads.
17. That our tyres and suspension and steering and brakes keep us safe.
18. For the applied knowledge of the safety I know in the situations this week.
19. That none of our party experienced food poisoning, snake or spider bite.
20. That within my family, nobody died or were seriously ill this past seven days.
BELONGING & LOVE NEEDS
21. I am thankful for the fact that my family missed me and I missed them.
22. For the love and laughter I enjoyed on the road with three colleagues, and for the bonds of mateship forged!
23. For the many conversations that were had in the nights meeting brigades, groups and units, for the character of fire and emergency services people.
24. I am thankful for new friendships and connections.
25. I am grateful for serendipitous meetings, one of which in the past seven days could only have been orchestrated by God.
26. For being inspired by several volunteer leaders who wear more than one hat, in particular to meet and get to know an incredible 34-year-old nurse who often juggles 3-4 roles and who always thinks of others.
27. For the young lives who are touched by Cadet programs.
28. I am thankful for a work colleague who I can watch and admire for his skill and heart.
29. I am grateful I get the honour of supporting four wonderful people in my work context.
30. I am thankful to be home.
ESTEEM NEEDS
31. I am thankful that I have made it to the end of a big week.
32. I am thankful for the faith I showed in stepping out each challenging step this week.
33. For the people who helped me achieve what I did, and for those who trusted me to help, I am grateful.
34. I am satisfied for the feelings of accomplishment I have enjoyed this week.
35. For the work set before me, to preach a message at church on wisdom, I am thankful.
36. For the validation I received from others and for the validation I was able to give others, I am thankful.
37. That I don’t need to be perfect in my world to be accepted brings me delight.
38. That more than a few times this past week I marvelled at others’ accomplishments, including meeting and working with a two-times World’s Toughest Firefighter!
39. I am positively amazed that neither did I lose or break anything nor did I forget anything of significance this past week.
40. I am super thankful that I was “enough” this week, and for two individuals in particular, perhaps I was “more than enough”.
SELF-ACTUALISATION
41. I am thankful that in the past seven days, even though many moments were challenging, I am actually living my best life in the role best for me.
42. As I got news that I would be going to the School event “A-Z of Growing Up” with my son, I realised what a privilege it will be to attend, and how wonderful it has been to go through the transition to adulthood with my fourth child.
43. I am grateful that the last seven days is a capstone of the last seven years. It took seven years to reach this point. I’m glad I kept going!
44. That in talking to one of my daughters, I realise I am free within my relationships with my children, that we offer this freedom freely to one another.
45. That I have borne witness this week to three people in my family who have reached levels of self-actualisation who I am very proud of.
46. In looking over at my wife, I realise I have all I need in a life partner.
47. In reflecting over the presentations I have made over the past week, I really believe in the message I’m giving because I’m actually living it.
48. In one situation this past week, I have been able to help someone reach a level of self-actualisation in their life.
49. The text messages I received this week (and often receive) from my eldest daughter affirmed me in ways that I never dared imagine.
50. Perhaps most important, I realised this week that I do not need to achieve any more in life to be fulfilled. My life is full already.
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Gratitude is amazing. It connects us with a minefield of positivity that isn’t fake in any sense. As empathy is the link to the deeper life, gratitude is the bridge to resilience. When we are able to be grateful despite our circumstances, we are the epitome of a resilient person.
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