Did you ever say grace when you were a kid? Or, maybe you still do. I loved that ritual…I wonder why I ever stopped.
See, when I was little, ever night before we ate dinner, we would start off making the sign of the cross (Holy Trinity and all that lot). We’d then say, “Thank you dear God for this food, and all that you’ve done for us. Today I am thankful for…” and go around the table, each naming what we were thankful for that day.
We did this EVERY day. We were Catholic and I know my dad was a big “How to Win Friends” aficionado, so he blended our religion with a motivational guru to raise children who understood the value of being grateful EACH and EVERY day.
Even without mentioning God, we could still feel fortunate and lucky for at least one thing. If we were in trouble (9 times out of 10 we would have been), this little ritual was still a high point in feeling good about something. If we were angry with one another, it was a chance for the family to soften a bit and melt some of that hardness.
If you’ve read some of my posts, you might be able to deduce that I have not had a seamless life. A charmed life, yes. But, at times, it’s been also bumpy and requiring a little patching.
When people have asked me how I’ve managed to maintain such a positive outlook in life, I would attribute a lot of it to my habit of being grateful that became engrained through this daily ritual.
Along those lines, I’m enjoying reading “Today We Are Rich” by Tim Sanders. He gives nice suggestions of daily rituals that lend to being grateful (and, in turn, rich). He’s reminded me how that simple act of saying grace could be so powerful.
Just the way I received the book was his simple act of sending me a free book because I mentioned how much I liked him in an online conversation. I was so blown away I took this silly picture!!
Heck, just think of that word: Grace. One thinks of beauty, joy, empathy, kindness.
Maybe it’s time to start saying it again.
What about you…do you have a ritual or practice that you do EVERY day to remind you of how fantastic your life really is? What will you be thankful for, and who will you thank?
Filed under: Personal
What a sweet post, Midori.
We said grace when I was a kid too. Usually we took turns, depending on the day of the week. We all had our favorite prayer. “God is good, God is great…” that was my fav! I don’t say grace when it is just my hubby and I at the table. Funny thing is, I do not hesitate when dad is by my side.
After reading your post, you have made me want to change things up a bit. Grace will return to my household!
(oh, and I am thankful for YOU!)
Um. You made me cry in the middle of my training.
I think we often stop saying grace because we associate it with religion/church…but it’s really more about being grateful.
I hope you and your handsome hubs now have one more excuse to sit and be happy together each day
I really enjoyed this post, Midori. I went to Catholic school and growing up, we said grace at dinner and prayers before bed. Doesn’t matter whether you’re in agreement with every stance taken by the Catholic church, there are certain “disciplines” that become ingrained in you – and that’s not a bad thing. To this day, I say grace before eating and prayers before bed. It helps me stay grounded, grateful and aware that most of our worries aren’t worth worrying about.
Thanks Lisa! I agree, even though I’m more of a recovering Catholic these days, I still like attending mass and the calming effect of the rituals of the liturgy.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!!