Do it, ALL the time...

Not long ago I finally made my way through the HBO series "John Adams".  Being a history buff I've always enjoyed a good period piece.  Yes, even more than those moody vampire or alien robot movies.

The final episode of the series ran more like an epilogue.  The not-so-subtle remarks about maintaining our personal freedoms in the face of an oppressive government certainly resonated with our current state of affairs.  But the one thing that really stuck with me was a simple phrase uttered by the John Adams character as he was gazing upon some flowers, "Rejoice evermore."  He repeated it several times and to me it's magnificent in it's simplicity and depth.

How often do we really "rejoice" about our lives?  I'm not talking about whooping it up when our favorite team wins.  When was the last time something so simple, so small yet so wonderful captured your attention and made you realize what a wonderful world you live in?  I know it's easy to be consumed with financial and personal struggles but all those things aside there is a beautiful world out there that's on display for us every day.  Watching a bee work his way on and around a flower.  Seeing a child's face light up when daddy hands him an ice cream cone.  An elderly couple holding hands as they shuffle through a park.  There is certainly no fanfare for any of these things but they are wonderful nonetheless.

Your life is full of wonderful gifts but they're typically overshadowed by hardships.  When bad things happen don't just assume life is miserable.  Instead think of it as an attention grabber, something that's removing your blinders to help expose the inner strength you have to endure anything and the vision to see the good among the bad.

There truly is so much to be thankful for.  Sometimes we just need to be quiet and calm and let the shroud of despair fall away so we can rejoice EVERMORE at the beauty that surrounds us.