Article November 22, 2004 Issue

GRATITUDE SAVES THE DAY

By Lois Carlson

One of the main reasons I know that gratitude is foundational to life: I don't believe anyone is happy being miserable. I've never seen any joy come out of complaining. Neither have I seen negative states of thought produce one good thing.

Recently a friend told me how prayers of thanksgiving were lifesaving. It was on the afternoon of August 13, when Hurricane Charley hit the city of Punta Gorda, Florida. Gary lives on the top floor of an apartment building there, and he and a friend were huddled in a closet. Despite the fact that Gary had never felt or heard anything as fierce as the torrent sweeping around his building, he said he felt amazingly calm. His prayers centered on thanking God for being with them. He thanked God for giving him messages of peace, quieting his fear. The way he said it was, "I knew there was no turbulence in divine Mind."

When the roof came off and the rain washed in, he felt God guiding him to stay in that closet and keep praying, even though it seemed the worst of the storm was over. That decision was to save their lives. The wind changed direction, breaking through the glass and taking everything out of the front room of the apartment.