By Pema Sherpa & Brendan Barca

Age-old wisdom for modern living. Each week you’ll get 1 quote, 1 reflection and 1 action to help you lead a calmer, clearer, and more conscious life.

11/29/23

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Holiday Gatherings, Annoying Uncles, & Evoking Gratitude

Quote:

“Since gratitude is the root of love, bring to mind the kindness of sentient beings.” – Gampopa

Reflection:

Over the holidays when you gather with your family, do their quirks and eccentricities get on your nerves? If you’re like most of us, the answer is probably yes. The holiday might be going great one minute then someone does something that irks you. You may find yourself thinking, “If only my uncle wasn’t so insensitive!” or “Why does my brother have to spend the whole dinner bragging?”

Action:

This year at the holiday gathering, when this happens, take a moment to examine what captures your attention and what doesn’t capture your attention. Are you zeroing on your family member’s flaws? Did you overlook their acts of kindness? Have you acknowledged any of their positive qualities?

Take a quick inventory. Then reflect on all the ways your family member has been kind to you this holiday season and in the past. Allow yourself to feel gratitude for any time they provided for you, cared for you, or stood up for you.

Whether it is our siblings, parents, relatives, friends, or our partner, when we contemplate their kindness, gratitude for them is automatically generated. We can then use this feeling of gratitude to recognize their goodness despite their imperfections, increasing our ability to see things clearly and love them more deeply.

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