Claire Wineland had a national social media following and it is no wonder given her character, strength and wisdom.  She died this last week following a 21 year long struggle with Cystic Fibrosis. I never had the blessing or opportunity to meet her, but I wish I had.  Near the end of her life, Claire, as quoted on CNN, said, “Go enjoy your life. Really. I mean that seriously. Go enjoy it because there are people fighting like hell for it.”

These are powerful words worth not only reflection, but incorporation.  For a number of years I had the privilege of working in oncology with both staff and patients when I was a psychologist.  So many of those I worked with, in essence, said the same thing Claire Wineland did as she neared the end of her life.

Enjoying life is not a self-centered, egocentric, narcissistic stance.  Rather it is an approach to day to day living that is based on a heart of gratitude. I believe if more of us woke each morning with gratitude and began our days with such intention, we would find our culture to be vastly different than what we are experiencing now.  

Fighting, caustic commentary, negativity, hostility, division, hatred, and quick reactivity is not reflective of people who are living from a place of gratitude.  Yes we can have passions and convictions, but who said we need to be so ugly about it all. I believe gratitude, while not a panacea, would address much that ails what has been happening in the country.  

Gratitude is not a denial of what is wrong.  Gratitude is not about sticking our heads in the sand. Gratitude is not about inaction.  Rather gratitude enables us to face difficult and complex problems from a vastly different place in our hearts and minds.  Gratitude can be a common ground from which we approach each day with an expectation for positive change, listening, empathy, and respect.   

And let us all remember that our walk with Jesus is all about gratitude whether we work as a server, in business, at a school, or even if we work in Washington at whatever level.  From beginning to end, scripture is filled with stories of gratitude and what happens when gratitude is lost and replaced by much of what we see happening in our nation today.

I invite you to join me in spending some time thinking about Claire’s words.  “Go enjoy your life. Really. I mean that seriously. Go enjoy it because there are people fighting like hell for it.”  Ponder how such a stance might lead us to gratitude and how gratitude could change everything in our own lives and those around us.