Each Day Above Ground is a Good Day

It is one of the coldest days of the winter season. Ice cycles hang from the trees and the gate to the entrance. Although the driveway has been salted, the road is still dangerously slippery. Bundled up in coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and boots, the employees rush into the building for heat and coffee. Not such a luxury for the grounds crew staff who prepare the gravesites for the families who will soon arrive to bury their dearly departed loved ones. 

I enjoy my coffee, warm up, and begin my day, which also includes a trip back out into the frigid temps and icy conditions to check my gravesites to ensure accuracy prior to the families’ arrival for their interments. I bring a cup of hot chocolate to the grounds crew member who is manually digging one of the graves amidst the icy, windy, 16 degree weather. He smiles as he thanks me for the hot chocolate. He sips the beverage and goes right back to work, not uttering a bit of dismay about the cold temperature or the difficulty in the manual preparation of the site. I express my sympathetic thoughts for him being able to smile while working so diligenttly in such conditions. Again, he smiles and says, “Dora, every day that I wake up and am able to dig a grave and it isn’t for me, it is a good day.”  

That thought resonated with me all day as I visualized not only his warm smile, but his appreciation for life. Gratitude for what we so often take for granted. Working in a cemetery and preparing for 40-50 burials a week, the fragility of life is front and center for us; so yes, we appreciate being able to get up, go to work, and assist those who are making final arrangements for loved ones who didn’t wake up to say, “It is a good day.”

What about you? Are you taking for granted the fact that you are able to read this right now? Are you seizing the many opportunities available to you today? Are you expressing gratitude for the gift of now? Do you recognize the fragility of life? Did you say “thank you” for the many blessings of family and friends, food and clothing, health and happiness? Did you say “I love you” to your loved ones before departing for your busy day of multitasking? Did you forgive or ask to be forgiven? Did you wake up loving life this morning? 

I will end with my mantra for life. “Everything in life is temporary, including life itself. Decide to say Yes! to the gift of now.” Enjoy your day and keep moving forward.

Find out more about the From Grief to Gratitude Coach Certification Program here.