Gratitude

 Gratitude

Kris and I recently watched “The Promise” about the Armenian geniside. I do’nt know how I’ve lived my hwhole life and this was the first time I’ve learned about it. I have several friends who service LDS misssions in Armenia and I’ve heard them mention the geniside but that’s all I knew, that there was one. Watching this movie was awaking. I found myself recgonizing my blessings and truly feeling blessed for having them. There is a meme on social media, the picture is a light switch, a sink, a thermostat and refreidgerator- all have a Christmas bow on them. The caption reads, “presents when you’re trying to get out of debt”. These things really are amazing gifts, even luxuries. To have electricity, running watch, Heating/cooling, food, indoor plumbing- things that we take for granted because it’s become a basic staple to our way of life. And while I “know” that these are things I should be grateful for I was having a hard time actually generating that emotion. I guess I viewed these things as staples that were my right to have. As I watched the promise and I saw them with nothing, no material passions, nothing nice, nothing clean, no freedom, treated worse than animals, their loved ones taken from them- murdered or in work camps. I looked around my living room and I could feel my freedom. I marveled at my safe space, my white clean walls. I laid down in a plush queen bed feeling safe, loved, and VERY fortunate. It’s a perspective I wish I could hold on to. I wish I could keep it and share it with my kids.