With a heart full of gratitude, I have taken a moment this morning to reflect on the blessings that I enjoy for living in this great country and specially for being here in Utah and for the opportunity to raise a family in this beautiful Rocky Mountain. It can be easy to wake up every morning, embrace life and go about our daily tasks and forget to take a moment to appreciate the beautiful and simple treasures that life offers us. 

I love reading about the lives of the pioneers, it does not matter where they lived. The stories of the pioneers who settled Utah have always strengthen and spired me. I admire their faith, their courage, their sacrifice, their spirit of community, and the strength of their character. 

Any time I am working on a project or facing a difficult time, I like to retire to a quiet place to think of them and ask myself how they would handle such a challenge, and what would be their motives for doing so? 

We all have the pioneer spirit within us. Many people ignite that spirit every day. As they do that, they bless the lives of the people around them and are leaving a legacy for the new generation to come. Others let it sit dormant and are waiting for the perfect moment to rekindle that flame. A perfect moment that may never come. Others don’t even realize that they have this gift. 

The wisdom is that we all have it. If we can take a moment to reflect on and count our blessings day by day, we will develop a greater appreciation for them and for the people who have helped us along the path of mortality. This attitude of gratitude can help us feel the pioneer spirit that we are blessed with and it can also serve as an igniter that we can use to rekindle the flame. 

Again, again, at the end of the day, can we answer this question in the affirmative; “Have I done any good in the world today?” If we can answer this question positively, we may know that we have done our best to express gratitude to those who paved the road for us and have done enough to clear the path for someone else. 

I want to leave you today with this wisdom found in the prayer of Chester Cathedral: “My Lord, I am ready on the threshold of this new day to go forth armed with thy power, seeking adventure on the high road, to right wrong, to overcome evil, to suffer wounds and endure pain if need be, but in all things to serve thee bravely, faithfully, joyfully, that at the end of the days labor, kneeling for thy blessing thou mayest find no blot upon my shield.”

Happy Pioneer Day!

Illens Dort is a Certified Speaker, Coach, and Trainer with The John Maxwell Team. Thank you for your time!!!  Illens Dort – author of Thinking and Acting with a Compassionate Heart. To buy a copy go to https://www.amazon.com/author/Illensdort.