Be thankful when times are good

You’d think it would be easier to be grateful when times are good. It’s actually easier to be grateful when times are bad because the good stuff becomes easier to see and appreciate. When times are good, we can take things for granted.

Or worse, people can feel they’re entitled to good fortune. They believe they deserve their success because they worked hard, are more talented, or were brought up the right way. If others are struggling, it’s their own fault or because of some inherent flaw.

I’ve worked hard in my life, but I also benefited from being born as a certain gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation in a specific country at this moment in history. If any of those factors were different, I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have today. As I look at the horrible events around the world, I realize I could be one of those trapped in those situations.

I also see how quickly things change, like when my mom had a stroke. Turn on the news, and you can see how once respected people face humiliation, destitution, and incarceration because they made a bad choice or fell into the wrong crowd. One small mistake, one lapse of judgement, or one instance of unfortunate timing can make good times turn horribly bad. Success often comes from pure luck.