To practice something is to do something regularly, often with the intent to gain proficiency. To practice something means to make a choice, to do it. And to make that choice, over and over and over again.
My dad is a musician, and for my whole life I have seen him practice almost everyday. Some days he doesn’t want to, some days it’s only five minutes, sometimes two hours, but he never stops practicing. When I got to fifth grade I started to play clarinet. Right away it felt good, and I made noticeable progress, but then I plateaued for a while. Many musicians describe this pattern of plateaus as part of playing an instrument. Over and over I have seen this pattern in other practices, not just music. The practice of gratitude may feel surprising, and profound at first, and then plateau for a while as you grow accustomed to the present state of mind.
The assignment of the gratitude journal lined up with the time I was house sitting for my mom, and had a beautiful home mostly to myself. I was already feeling overwhelmingly grateful to be there, but taking the time to respond to the writing prompts, allowed new dimensions of my gratitude to come into light. Because I was already noticing gratitude during the time of the assignment, it’s impossible to say how much of what I felt was from the gratitude journaling, however I know that while I was writing, I felt alive, and healthy. It often felt like an invitation to let go of stress or anxiety, to focus on being grateful.
When I can let go of stress and anxiety, other things can happen, and I am capable of doing much more. Everyday I think about the present state of the world, and try to understand as much as I can, and answer the “why” questions. If that is all I did I don’t think I could live, because it’s too painful. But to think about other things changes everything. What I focus on changes the angle from which I see all the things that break my heart. In “The Book Of Joy”, (p.248) They talk about how “gratitude is motivating, not demotivating”. This reminds me, that to make positive change, I need to focus on the positive. That it gives me the strength to act. During this time I went to the first demonstration I had been to in almost a year. I no longer had a reason not to. Particularly my own emotional reasons.
Later on in the reading it speaks about the power we have over our emotions, as well as the impermanence of all life. This also reminds me not to be too grave about things. To hold the stories of the past, the passing of life, in addition to the little surprises of each moment, that can be invitations for great joy. To me, practicing gratitude is all those things. Practicing anything doesn’t stand alone, but in the nest of one’s whole experience, but to practice music for me, brings many of these same experiences. The release of stress and anxiety, the presence, and the joy that comes from the surprise of the sounds.
The positive effects are clear, from my own personal experience and others. The challenge of continuing a practice, through the plateaus so to speak, can bring us to new, unexpected places. Just like learning my clarinet. Even when progress can’t be seen or marked, continuing to practice is what holds us where we are. With gratitude, it helps us stay awake, see the old anew.
pondering sustainability 