Is it Gratitude or Blinders?

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, but sometimes accentuating the positive can be a way of masking truths we don’t want to look at. So, the question I’m asking myself is, “Is it gratitude or blinders?”

Blinders

Blinders are leather pieces that are placed on either side of a horse’s head next to its eyes. They are common on race horses and are thought to keep the horse facing forward by limiting its awareness of what is around it.

I used to think that blinders were a great idea. They could close us off from distractions and help us focus on the goal ahead. On a closed race track, with a jockey in charge, the horse’s safety is not compromised by the blinders. The problem is that we are not on a safe, closed track. We are on a trail that often has unexpected turns, perils, and even surprising vistas. Taking off the blinders helps us be aware of dangers, beauty, and others that are traveling the path with us.

Opening Our Eyes

If we are blind to the things we don’t want to believe about ourselves, others, or life in general, our thankfulness for the good we see is shallow and limited in its ability to lift and strengthen us. In my life, there have been times that I so badly did not want to see the dangers that were around me, I put blinders on. I focused hard on the positive and refused to look at the rest of the picture.

As a child and youth, fear was the blinders I wore. I couldn’t handle the pain that was all around me. But the small “good” moments did not negate the effects of the abuse my parents inflicted. Time showed that the blinders hindered my ability to navigate my life’s path. The reality was I needed to see the danger so I could find my way to safety.

As much as it is good to see the potential and good in a person or situation, opening our eyes and hearts to the full picture can allow us to connect with life and each other on a deeper level. It can also open our eyes to warnings if the patterns we see are dangerous to our emotional or even physical self. There have been times that putting blinders on has made me susceptible to manipulation and hurt. It shut me off from healthy connections.

Gratitude or Blinders?

Don’t get me wrong, recognizing blessings and expressing gratitude are essential in finding joy in our journey. It has helped me immensely in my healing path. http://Healing emotional trauma and building on the light But sometimes we are blinded to the hurt that lies on the other side of the positive.

As an adult, I have had loved ones in emotional pain. Because I didn’t want their pain to be real, I looked only at the positive of their lives, reassuring myself and them that they were fine. It was like being so focused on a beautiful vista, that I was oblivious to the crumbling ground beneath us. Being blinded to the pitfalls, increased the peril.

Real gratitude takes in the whole scene: the sharp turns, rocky terrain, and the detail of the land and sky around us. It helps us lean on our faith and trust that we have divine help to navigate our path.  Unlike the horserace, life is not about autonomy or competition. Real gratitude helps us connect with those on the path beside us. It helps us to eventually reach the mountain vista we long for.

Gratitude does not negate the pain, but gives us the strength to navigate it.

Whole-Sighted Gratitude

How do we tell if it’s gratitude or blinders? Real gratitude—heart healing, soul strengthening gratitude—can be life changing. The key is that with the faith to take the blinders off, we can be grateful for the full picture. We can actually feel the strength and understanding that comes with the trials, and the peace and confidence that comes with the vistas.

Bottom line, life is not intended to be a race. It’s a strengthening journey through awe-inspiring and sometimes treacherous terrain. We can be thankful for individual pieces of life, but true gratitude comes in seeing the whole picture and internalizing the full experience of life.

That is where our vision is clearest.

Melody Beattie says it this way, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”https://www.melodybeattie.com/

May our hearts and minds be open to the beauty, strength, understanding, and peace life offers.