Before and during my recent travels to and from South Carolina, I found myself using the “H” (hate) word a lot. To soften the harshness of the word, I’ll use h8 instead.
Some of what I said during the trip were: “I h8 how the airlines treat us like crap”, “I h8 having to go through security, it’s so degrading”, “I h8 the humidity”, “I h8 being hot”…you get the idea…a regular ole whiner I was.
Then on top of that I have the nerve to turn around and pontific8 about how awful it is that certain TV and radio programs promote and spread h8. How am I any different from them with my thoughts and words of h8. Yes they do it on a grander scale…but h8 is h8. If we want to eliminate h8 from this planet, it has to start with us.
When I returned from my trip last week (10/21) I pondered this month’s MOTM and the word “grateful” popped into my head. Ideas streamed in like instead of h8ing the airlines be grateful that I have the opportunity to fly anywhere. Instead of h8ing that I have tinnitus be grateful that I can hear at all. Instead of h8ing how much of a klutz I am, be grateful that I move around. Instead of h8ing the job, be grateful to have one.
Along with the gratitude, also see if anything can be done to change what we h8. For example, send feedback to the airlines, have ears checked, be more careful, see if any other jobs are available or find a way to make the current one better.
After all this pondering, I then realized that November is the month of Thanksgiving here in the US. How serendipitous (I got the spelling right the first time…yeah…I’m grateful my brain still works!)
So this month as we go about our days, be conscious of the subtle ways h8 infiltrates our thoughts and words. Adopt an attitude of gratitude.
Go from h8ful to grateful!
Now go have fun coloring! 
Download the November 2009 Mandala of the Month (~650kb)
I would love to see your colorings…Upload them to Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/groups/mandalas/
Happy Coloring!
Maureen, The Mandala Lady
Mandala of the Month 