In the story, a troll makes an evil mirror that distorts the reflection of things. The true and the beautiful fail to appear but the ugly and bad are all one can see. The mirror is broken and pieces of it fall to earth and lodge in the eyes and hearts of people. Kai and Gerda are two childhood friends. Kai gets a piece of this treacherous mirror in his eye and heart. No longer is he kind and good, but sees only the bad and the ugly. He taken captive by the Snow Queen and Gerda seeks to find him and free him from this enchantment. Many adventures ensue and at last Gerda saves him with her purity and love; her tears, melting his heart and burning the mirror splinter away.
So how do we melt the distorted mirrors of discouragement, sadness, entitlement, and pride? How do we prevent the distortions from becoming our reality?
Gratitude. It is Magic. It changes the way we see things.
Let me share what happened last week when two year old Clara visited us for the day. This is what I observed:
When handed the art paint: “Thank you.”
When helped with her coat: “Thank you.”
When handed the bear: “Thank you."
When given bread and apples: “Thank you.”
When handed the doll: “Thank you.”
When given a cookie: “Thank you.”
I thought a lot about this. All day long Clara was grateful for everything. Her mom was not there to prompt her, but she had taught her well. Clara lives and talks with gratitude.
What if I said “thank you” all day and chose to live with gratitude just like she did? What would be different? In that gratitude mirror I would see reflected:
What I do have.
How much we need each other.
How great it is to help each other.
The good.
The beautiful.
The blessings.
Can this change the distortions in the mirror of entitlement, pride, discouragement, and sadness? Yes. Our perception of reality and our capacity to see the beautiful can change in the mirror. Reality is truly grounded in how we perceive the world around us.
President Monson said: "My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable; to enact gratitude is generous and noble; but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."
Thank you Clara for touching heaven, and allowing us a peek into heaven too.
How much we need each other.
How great it is to help each other.
The good.
The beautiful.
The blessings.
Can this change the distortions in the mirror of entitlement, pride, discouragement, and sadness? Yes. Our perception of reality and our capacity to see the beautiful can change in the mirror. Reality is truly grounded in how we perceive the world around us.
President Monson said: "My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable; to enact gratitude is generous and noble; but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."
Thank you Clara for touching heaven, and allowing us a peek into heaven too.
