The cold, grey skies no longer mirror my soul. Yesterday was bright and sunny; not so much today. I had a morning meeting in Salamanca, about an hour from here. The roads were slick, but easily driveable. I was surprised at not seeing any vehicles in the ditch, but as I approached the exit for Salamanca, there was one car that had apparently just taken a ride into the center median. People were standing around hugging and crying, but thankfully, it didn't appear that anyone was hurt.
There was a time when a cold, dreary day like today would have dampened my spirits and left me in a moody mess. This daily exercise in gratitude however, has changed all that. This overcast day would have cast over my soul a cloud cover from east to west, thick and foreboding. Practicing gratitude is teaching me that I have much more control over my feelings and outlook than I had thought before. I wonder how much of the depression that plagues our society today feeds on the mental, emotional, and spiritual mindset we choose, usually by default. I used to think that melancholy was simply in my DNA; it's how I was wired by God. While I may lean that way by nature, I have much more choice in the matter than I had ever dreamed. By deliberately choosing to give thanks in all situations, I've altered something very deep and basic within me, and the external circumstances such as the weather no longer rule the day. It takes continual work, sort of like practicing my bass or bassoon. If I slack off on practice, my proficiency declines. If I am diligent, I get better. If that is true for playing a musical instrument, why should it not be true as I practice the score of my life?
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