The Healing Power of Gratitude

This past Friday, Russell M. Nelson (prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) shared a special message with the world. In his message, he said, “Counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a unique, fast-acting, and long-lasting spiritual prescription.” He also encouraged everyone to flood social media with expressions of gratitude, complete with the the hashtag #givethanks for the next seven days. I'm not sure why, but I always feel shy and embarrassed when it comes to sharing feelings publicly on Facebook. I know I shouldn't care what other people think, but I do! That being said, I decided to just get over it, and to join in on flooding social media with a wave of gratitude. SO, I thought I would share my week-long journey of gratitude on my blog. Here are my posts from yesterday and today:

I am grateful for modern-day miracles. I have been praying nearly every night for the past many months that God would work a miracle and inspire the scientists who are working to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Instead of taking years to create a vaccine (that is said to be 95% effective, I might add), it has been developed in a matter of months. I truly believe that this is a miracle and an answered prayer. I know some people are leery of vaccines, especially one that has been developed so quickly (which is a valid concern), but for me, I rather take my chances with a new vaccine rather than the disease.

Today I'm reflecting on how grateful I am for the wonderful friends I've made over the years. So many of them have made me want to be a better person. When we get to the other side, I think we will be surprised to learn that it was no coincidence that certain people were placed in our lives. My friends have really enriched my life and have made it much more enjoyable. I'm especially grateful for my special friends who are my helpers. I could just cry thinking about how much I love them for being willing to serve me. They are truly being God's hands, and I'm sure they have invisible halos above their heads, because they are angels!