Thirty Thousand Days

by Gregg Krech

I finished rereading David Steindl-Rast’s article on Gratitude and Surprise which we use in our ToDo Institute Course on Self-Reflection Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Gratefulness can be improved by practice. But where shall beginners begin? The obvious starting point is surprise. You will find that you can grow the seeds of gratefulness just by making room. If surprise happens when something unexpected shows up, let’s not expect anything at all. Let’s follow Alice Walker’s advice: “Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.”

In the essay he discusses how we can cultivate gratitude by being surprised by things instead of just expecting them. But I’m also extrapolating from his suggestion that we can bring greater joy and gratitude to others by “surprising them” more often. We expect

by Gregg Krech

The idea of a holiday spirit can be an elusive reality. We have these wonderful images of what we would like our experience to be during the holiday season. Everyone is joyful. Everyone is relaxed and in a good mood. The family sits around the fireplace or Christmas tree, sipping hot apple cider, and engulfed in good cheer and the music of the season. Everyone gets along. Everyone is considerate of one another.

Then I wake up from my dream as I hear my 8 year old daughter in the living room:

“It’s Tuesday, so it’s your turn to fold the laundry.”
“No,” says her 10 year old sister. “The laundry was dry yesterday, so it’s your turn.”

In the background, the stereo is playing Silent Night as the musical score for their holiday script.

The holiday season is stacked with forces that work against a heartfelt spirit, pulling us towards something more frantic and frustrating. Some of those forces are:

1. Rushing. We’re rushing to get all the presents bought in time. We’re rushing to get the cards in the mail. We’re rushing to get everything shipped. The holidays are busy time, so we have to squeeze more activity into the same number of hours. It’s a challenge to feel joyful when you’re late for movies, parties, school plays, haircut appointments and everything else on your schedule this season.

2. Selfishness. The holidays are supposed to be a time for giving, but they easily become a time for “getting” – particularly amongst kids who get preoccupied with their Christmas list and making sure that everyone, including Santa, is clear on what they want. Generosity is important, provided the recipient of that generosity is “me.”