I vaguely remember the first time I heard the words “attitude of gratitude.” It was years ago and I had just come home from work. I cannot recall what time of year it was. There was a talk show – maybe Oprah – on television. In between putting down my things, walking into the kitchen to say hi to the family, and petting the dog I overheard a voice implore the applause-metered audience that the best thing they could do was to have an “attitude of gratitude.”
“Seriously?” I thought. “What a load. Probably has a book to sell.” I was clearly approaching this person from a “standpoint of sarcasm.” The word that came to mind rhymed, but wasn’t in the same family, as I recall.
The evening came and went. Days and weeks passed uneventfully. I never heard the kitschy phrase again but yet continued to think about it. I began to warm to the idea. The idea of approaching life as a thankful person who recognized the good in my life first… that stuck. And – BONUS! – it works.
The truly thankful people in my life are almost inevitably the most emotionally resilient, warm, giving human beings I know. Now, when I hear someone say those words, I still wince a little at the silly rhyme but recognize three essential truths they contain. One, attitude really is everything. Two, gratitude (while synonymous with “indebtedness”) is an amazingly enriching emotion. Three, when you put them together, the a-word and the g-word allow wonderful connections to happen with your friends, family, and community.
And guess what we’re most thankful for at Richland Source? Yep. You got it. The connections we have made have us feeling pretty grateful these days.
Our team. Richland Source did not have a smooth road getting started. We’re deeply thankful for everyone who contributed to the lessons we learned as we built the site and eventually launched back in June. Everyone contributed. Everyone counts.
Our readers and advertisers. You have been our biggest supporters and – you know who you are – our toughest critics. It is impossible to put into words the value of both.
Our community. It’s safe to say that we all liked Mansfield and Richland County before we took this job. At the very least, we were curious about it. It’s equally safe to say that we have been sort of amazed at the depth and richness we have found while talking to hundreds of people all over the area.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this. I found a TED talk this morning that hit home. It’s about the power of vulnerability. Brené Brown is funny, insightful, painfully honest, and maybe just what we need to hear today.
If you can carve out a few minutes today between turkey legs and football, do it. Thanks for everything, Richland County. Enjoy the holiday!
