“You Ungrateful ‘So and So’”

A poem on gratitude and lack thereof. The folly of complaint is juxtaposed with the wisdom of being thankful.

“You ungrateful ‘so and so’”
I thought as I mused to myself,
You’ve got everything to be thankful for,
But you can’t see it yourself.

For the complaints that fog your mind,
Are yours and yours alone,
They’d be less a distraction,
If you’d only choose to be kind.

You’re missing the point altogether in life,
It’s not just about you,
For there are times when others count,
And you’d see it if you weren’t so blue.

What can I say to cheer you,
That might make the slightest difference?
Tell me the magic thing to say,
That might make you feel less resistant.

If you’re feeling like an ungrateful ‘so and so’ why don’t you get a grip on reality and start living a little more gratefully? This way the people you love might actually have more joy in their lives as a result of what you’re about. Instead you can almost guarantee that you’re contributing to their misery!

s
Thankfulness, Cicero says, ‘is the parent of all virtues.’ Why do we complain so much? Why do we fall for pitying ourselves? Why do we get snared in this trap of idolatry? It’s said to be the chief sin against the Lord God Almighty, the sin of discontent. And discontent is idolatry; the idolatry of greed -- it’s taking the things that God has gifted us with and it’s saying, “Sorry God, what you’ve given me is not good enough!” Discontent is saying, “I want more... I want better.”

s
Let’s all get a good dose of gratitude. It’s an amazing thing. It lifts us mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. I’m going to do my best to be grateful one-day-at-a-time, so help me God. And that’s all I can do.

s
Thank you God, for all the wonderful people and things you’ve given me in my life!

s
Copyright © 2008, Steven John Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.