Grateful for Baby Shark? Is that Possible?
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
I am continually amazed at how my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson can watch the same cartoon over and over. Sometimes it isn’t too bad – I love “Pete the Cat” almost as much as he does. But if I never hear “Baby Shark” again, it will be too soon. Gordie can watch his shows a hundred times in a row because he is grateful for the experience. He doesn’t need to receive new shows to stimulate him continually. He can appreciate shows he already watched and is comforted by the opportunity to experience them in succession.
Niklas Goke, in his article “You Don’t Need a New Thing to Be Grateful For,” calls us “to realize it’s the same things making all the difference.” We do not always need to be looking for something new and shiny to be grateful. Gratitude can, and perhaps, should be experienced in the everyday activities of life. Every morning I get up and walk to the coffee maker. Most mornings, I think of how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to drink coffee in a warm and comfortable home, comfortably. A few weeks ago, we had a huge cold wave, with more than -10 below zero temperatures. Just blocks from our church, a homeless man tried to survive hunkering down in a porta-potty. He froze to death most humbly. Were his life and mine switched from birth, I might have been the one frozen that night.
Gratitude helps us appreciate our lives, but there are more benefits. Gratitude also motivates us to recognize those in this world who do not have the same blessings. Gratitude creates empathy, which leads to beneficial action. Appreciation can cause us to reach beyond ourselves and make a positive difference in our lives. The simple pleasures of life, from singing Baby Shark to having a warm home, are gifts that nurture gratitude and transform our lives, and the lives of others.
Today, think about the simple things in your life that bring gratitude. What is your simple coffee or Baby Shark experience that you appreciate? Then pray for those who do not have the same opportunities to be grateful. The Holy Spirit will guide you to bring hope and gratitude to those who are without hope. Prayerfully seek God’s divine blessings. Put your appreciation to work by bringing hope and gratitude to others. Gordie gives me hope and gratitude by allowing me to sing Baby Shark with him, over and over!