Daily Prompts

Gratitude Journal – Prompt #6

/ Luanne Shernisky / Leave a comment
sunshine-copy

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Day #6 – What in nature are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

Unlike the others so far, Day #6 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Prompts was a no-brainer for me. I immediately thought of one specific thing: the sun.

In the earlier prompts I’ve had trouble narrowing down my choices. However, I believe that’s part of the “gratitude enlightenment” process… to make us realize that we have so many favorites and choices.

There are a lot of things in nature to be grateful for:  wildlife, flowers, starry nights, the ocean that I love so much (I’m convinced I was a viking/sailor in a previous life!)

I derive much pleasure from ALL the things that the sun provides. The vibrant colors that exist thanks to light itself (prompt #3.) The foods I love (prompt #4) and the bird songs that greet me each morning (prompt #5.) 

My appreciation for this wonderful (and necessary) orb in the sky is demonstrated through many of the photos I take. Sunrises and sunsets are a popular subject, usually coupled with a beautiful land or seascape.

PFF July 15I mentioned in a former post that I’m always looking up at the sky. Between the sun, moon, stars, and cloud formations, there’s always a unique and special view.

My favorite season is summer and I moved to Florida for several reasons, one being that it is the Sunshine State!

With so much to choose from when considering all that nature offers, what is your answer to Prompt #6? Whatever you choose, take a moment to recognize and enjoy it today!

Carpe diem!

 

 

 

Gratitude Journal – Prompt #4

/ Luanne Shernisky / 4 Comments
food

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Day #4 – What food are you most grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

The answer to Day 4 of  the 30 Days of Gratitude Prompts is whatever food that I happen to be eating, at any given time. In other words, I’m grateful for all the food that I’m blessed to have!

So many people in our world go without a proper diet, let alone those who are starving. We see these tragic faces on the news reports, as well as in our own neighborhoods. 

It’s incomprehensible that in a world as advanced as ours, there are still people who go without the basic necessities of life. When we see the excess lifestyles of the “rich and famous,” we’re reminded of the vast inequities that exist. 

Yes, there are those people who make bad choices and end up addicted and dependent on the government. But, not all these folks are responsible for their dire straits. Some are victims of terrible circumstances beyond their control, like former veterans, displaced workers, and people with devastating illnesses. We also have a serious mental health crisis that further adds to the problem. As a society, we have a huge amount of work to do in order to alleviate these problems. 

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Then there are the countries whose leaders don’t care about the quality of life of their citizens. The most brutal of these are actually responsible for the torture and killing of their own people.

I believe we have a responsibility to be aware of who needs help and do what we can. This could mean donating money or food items to organizations that work to end hunger and poverty. It could mean volunteering for a local food bank or the various events held to raise money.

A good place to start is the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information. This website offers advice on how to avoid charity scams and what to check before making any type of donation.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas just a few months away, the Salvation Army bell ringers and other charitable groups will be out in force. Feeding the hungry and caring for the less fortunate is the message of the season. 

homelessness

As we hurry about shopping for our groceries and Christmas gifts, I would urge everyone to be mindful of those living a life of poverty. Rather than judge them without knowing their back story, perhaps we can simply offer them a hot meal or help in the soup kitchen. I don’t have much to give, but I give what I can.

And by doing so, my own foods tastes a whole lot better! 

Carpe diem!

 

 

Gratitude Journal – Prompt #3

/ Luanne Shernisky / 1 Comment
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Day #3 – What color are you grateful for?

30 Days of Gratitude

The third day of the 30 Days of Gratitude Prompts  should be easy; we all have a favorite color. This would likely be the one we’re most grateful for, right?

Not necessarily. From the beautiful expanse of sky above to the fragile robin eggs to my aquamarine birthstone, blue has always been my favorite color. 

Of course, I do love mint green baby clothes and I chose a lovely periwinkle paint for my daughter’s room when she was small. I’m partial to red brick and, well…black IS slimming! 

So, I guess you can say I’m grateful for ALL colors! After all, how special would a rainbow be if it were completely pink? Or, if the autumn leaves never turned in the fall and remained green until they fell? 

It’s the diversity of color that makes our world such a beautiful place!

Believe it or not, but the reason we have color is because we have light! Color is the way our eyes interpret the energies contained within a beam of light!

Picture Frames_Colorful.pngThe energies of light contain a large spectrum of colors. When light touches an object, some of these energies are absorbed (taken in) by it, and others are reflected (cast back). – It’s the energies that are reflected which your eyes collect and then interpret as a specific color!

This means that when certain energies are reflected, your eyes interpret them to make you recognize that a banana is yellow, your friend has purple shoes, and your grandma’s hair is white! (Courtesy of whyzz.com)

Sky Watch_July 8We’re surrounded daily by a palette of colors that nature provides, as well as the man-made variety. Aside from purchasing paint or some item, when was the last time you really noticed the color of something?

The sky fascinates me and you’ll see that a lot of my photos include it (or some portion of it.) I’m always looking up to admire the changing hues and cloud formations. 

Imagine a world where diversity of color in the skin pigmentation of all people was appreciated and respected. Imagine that the unique talents and gifts of those people were recognized and encouraged.

I imagine that’s something we could really be grateful for.

Carpe diem!