March 21, 2025 • 18 mins
George Noory and author Brenda Knight discuss how the practice of thankfulness can change your life, the importance of modeling kindness to set a good example, and how doing something nice for others will inevitably come back to you in return.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now here's a highlight. From Coast to Coast am on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And welcome back George Noory with you. Brenda Night with
Us began her career at HarperCollins Publishing, working with luminaries
such as Palo Koelow, Mary Ann Williamson, His Holiness, the
Dalai Lama. She was awarded the Indie FABS Publisher of
the Year Award in twenty fifteen and is the author
(00:25):
of Random Acts of Kindness, The Gratitude, The Grateful Table,
and The Women of the Beat Generation, which won an
American Book Award. She's the publisher at Books that Save
Lives and also teaches at the San Francisco Writers Conference.
After nearly twelve years from Coast to Coast, she's back, Brenda.
Where have you been?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I don't now. I guess I was out doing so
many acts of kindness. But I can't think of a
better way to celebrate the first day of Spring that
being here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
This is great. Can you believe almost twelve years?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah, but I've been listening and like you guys are
just keep being incredibly awesome and I love what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
When you were on we talk about your book, The
grateful table, right.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Now we've got random acts of kindness. Well, what what
is so important of kindness and gratitude.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Kindness and gratitude really go hand in hand. And if
you're sort of feeling sorry for yourself or down in
the dumps, like, the first thing you should do is
something kind for others, like even if it's just like
opening a door for a stranger or just some simple
active goodness and kindness, and it gets you out of
your own head and back into your heart. And the
(01:44):
practice of gratitude also can very much help you just
in like just your daily existence and help you with
your mood and staying upbeat. I often find that even
I need a gratitude adjustment.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Is this like karma?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yes, yeah, it is. One of my favorite of the
practices of kindness is what they do in Hawaii, but
it's spreading, is called living a Loha, and it's simple
acts of goodness that you do for strangers. Again, it
can be something just very simple, like helping an elderly
(02:23):
lady at the grocery store and like you know, lifting
her groceries like into her trunk of her car. Just
really simple acts of goodness. I think more of that
can bring the world together, which is needed right now.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I had a friend of mine who every once in
a while would look at somebody in the checkout line
of a food supermarket and go up and pay the bill.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I love that. That's a beautiful act of kindness. And
there's what I love about random acts of kindness is
that it is a global movement and it's sort of
it's still easy to do. Like you can, you know,
pay for somebody. If you're in a toll bridge, you
can pay for somebody behind you. You can if you're
(03:08):
in like a drive through at Starbucks, you can pay
for somebody's coffee order behind you. And those things like
bring us together and we really need that. But it
also really is uplifting. It just it just you know,
can just change your whole attitude for the day, week, month,
and sometimes we all need that.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think he always looked at how full the basket was,
but he paid for it. Nonetheless, he's a good man. No,
gratitude and kindness are they two different things? Shore are
they the same?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, they're two different things, but they do go nicely together.
And I'll focus on gratitude for a minute, which is
a sense of thankfulness. I mean, I think we live
in a stressed out world. I think there's no denial
of that. Instead of focusing on like how bad things
are or how scary the news is, which can scare
(04:06):
you to death, Like just just turn tune all that out,
turn all that off, and think about what you have
and and then just be grateful for that and then
so that that is the transformation that can be so
easy with a sense of gratitude and practicing that. Whereas
(04:26):
kindness is giving to others, it's selfless acts and it
can be you know, small or large, but no matter
what the size, it will it will mean a lot
to the other person, the recipient. And it's true that
like whatever you give will come back to you tenfold.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
There's no question, Brenda that people who lack empathy lack
the ability to do this, don't they?
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yes, But I think they can learn it. I think
I think it can be a learned skill. And that's
why it's a good idea, George, for us to model
that to just like, you know, to just be an example.
And it doesn't have to be preachy or doesn't have
to be showy. It can just be simple and sometimes
(05:15):
the simpler the better, and I think other people will
pick it up, especially if if you do that for them,
somebody that might be lacking empathy, like, go ahead and
be kind, but go ahead and be generous to them,
go ahead and find something to be grateful for about them.
(05:36):
They'll pick it up eventually, and it's worth the effort.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It's incredible what the simple task of opening a door
for somebody would do.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Brenda, I agree. I agree, and I do it when
I can, especially for elder people, and they deserve that
respect and honor. And when somebody does it for me,
I am very grateful and I make sure to say
thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I love going to the post office box looking for
somebody getting out of their car holding the boxes and
boxes of stuff, and you know they can't open the door,
and you just stand by the door and open it
up for them when they go in, and they're in shock, right.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
But good for you for modeling that, And then you've
said an example, and they'll probably do that for somebody
the next time. Because I think people are innately inherently good.
I do believe that, and I think sometimes we all
just need a little reminder.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Now you grew up poor, didn't you?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I sure did. I grew up on a haller in
West Virginia, on a farm, but I didn't know what
we didn't have. I mean, I didn't realize that we
were like you know, Hillbilly's or Hicks or whatever. You know.
I had no idea of that, because like my mom, Helen,
like you know, set an example of being grateful and
(07:05):
being modest and being a good person. Like she's ninety eight,
still lives in West Virginia and is very healthy. I
think her attitude of gratitude and kindness is keeping her
here with us, and I hope she's here for a
long long time. But yeah, I grew up poor, but
I didn't know it. It was only when I moved
(07:26):
to California that I realize, like, oh I was that
I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn't.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
My mother's like yours. She's going to be ninety six
in May, and she's one of the most generous, nice
people I've ever known.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well, she did a good job with raising you.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Well, thank you, Brenda. I think she did. Dad did two.
Both good people be awesome. When you do something unexpectedly
for somebody, it generally comes back in some form or
fashion of goodness for you. I've seen it happen time
(08:09):
and time again, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yes, I have. And uh and I think actually the Bible,
like you know, even like mentions that like the good
Samaritan parable and things like that. And but what I
love about it is that people that are giving in
that way, people are generous and good Samaritans, like they're
not doing it, you know, for that karmic you know,
(08:33):
boomerang or whatever. They're not thinking about that at all.
They're in the moment. You know, they're just doing what
they feel called to do in the moment. But it
definitely does come back. And I have seen that, and
I've experienced it too, where you know, a friend was
like really in trouble and you know, I went out
(08:54):
of my way, you know, went to their house, like
stayed with them. In fact, like a girlfriend of mine,
her boyfriend passed away very unexpectedly. I mean, he was young.
It was really really shocking. She was in shock, and
I went over there to just be with her. She
couldn't even really talk. And then you know, I just
(09:17):
did simple things like you know, washed the dishes, swept
the floor, went out and got groceries, just really really
basic stuff, and I and you know, I just thought
that's the least I could do. And I couldn't think
of you know, I wanted to help her in a
more profound way, but that was like what was right
in front of me, like sort of chop witho, you know,
(09:38):
Carrie Water. And then years later she told me that
like that like made a huge difference to her and
like sort of kept her, helped her keep it together
because she was in a lot of pain. So I
was really happy to know that that helped her. And
then actually she helped me with a similar situation.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I found all of this Brenda is to do it
without expecting anything to come back and return.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yes, that's exactly right. That's the beauty of random acts
of kindness. Like there's no expectation. You just give it
away and just like you know, let it go and
like you know, let it go out to the universe
and spread more goodness.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And it will happen on its own.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I spent nine years with the Navy. My insurance company
is a military insurance company for people who have served
or continue to serve. It's a huge company and every
once in a while they divvy up the profits and
give you a little check. It's not huge, but they
(10:47):
give the members who I am, a check at the
end of the year. Well, I forgot all about it.
I gave some homeless person some money. They were holding
the sign, and I felt really sad for him and
gave them a little more than I should have. But
what the heck, But I just gave it to him,
(11:08):
didn't expect anything back. Went to the po box. It
was a check from my insurance company for ten times
what I gave the person. How do you explain that?
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Well, I do think that the universe and whatever, like
you know, whatever big energy is. I mean, like, you know,
my mom as an evangelical Christian, so she she would
say God, you know, God had a hand in it.
Other more new age types here in California would say,
the universe has your back. But I do think that
(11:46):
when you put good things out, it comes back. And
so you weren't expecting anything when you gave to that
homeless guy, and then you know, the universe had your back.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Exactly. Omers Generation Y and Z are they all different?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
You know, I think they are, but there's certain commonalities.
What has been interesting to I do actually like to
read about demographics. And what I had read by the
psychologists who you know, really knows his stuff, is that
Generation Z is has the most in common with the
(12:28):
the the great general the greatest generation, like which I
think yours and my mom and dad are like of
that of that generation, Like they're the ones that fought
World War two, Korea, et cetera. Like they they they served,
you know, when when they were needed, they served with
you know, and and proudly. And so I keep wondering
(12:52):
what it is that like Generation Z is going to
be called to do, to step up and serve. I'm
I'm I'm quite interested to see what they do. And
I like that that they harkened back to that greatest generation.
And according to like this you know psychologist, that there's
(13:14):
cycles like so there there's patterns like so you know,
so other generations like are similar to the ones that
are fifty years before.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
By the way, I've got to get into what your
dad might have told you about UFOs who worked in
that area.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Didn't he Yes, he did?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
He told you something, didn't he?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yes? He did? Should we go for it?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Now, let's wait a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Okay, it's fun.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Tell me this though, were you surprised or shocked with
what he told you?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I was? I was. I was surprised and shocked because
my dad was a marine, and so you know, he
was very disciplined and very sober and not given to
a lot of you know, chit chat or gossip or anything,
just the facts, and so I was pretty floored with
what he told me.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Okay, I can't wait to get into that. Do you
talk about gratitude is more than just saying gracious thanksgiving?
I agree with that.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
It sure is. I mean it has to be. It
should be, you know, not just one day a year,
but like three sixty five twenty four to seven in
my opinion. And it's easy to practice gratitude. I mean
I do something every morning. I set my morning intention.
Sometimes it's when I'm still laying down in bed, and
(14:48):
like I wake up and I feel grateful to be
alive and grateful for another day and another opportunity to experience,
and and then I will sort of go into like
what's going to happen in that day. If I have
a lot of meetings, like I will say, well, I
intend that those meetings go well. I intend that like
(15:11):
this meeting with this author is you know, really inspired,
and that I'm inspired and they're inspired.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
And like, for.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Example, I knew I was going to be like on
Coast to coast with you, George, and so I set
my intention that we were going to have fun. There
was going to be some enlightened moments, and that like
the listeners were, you know, getting a lot out of it.
And I hope and intend all that is true.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
It'll happen, to be sure, tell me one of the
most thankful things that has ever happened to you.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Well this this is a tough one, but like that,
it's an important one. So right before the pandemic, my
partner passed away very suddenly. He had cancer, but we
thought he had years to live, and then he had
a surgery to deal with it, and there was an
error that was made in the surgery and so he
(16:08):
passed away. So it was a sudden death that was
very very very shocking, and it was right before the pandemic.
So then when Shelter and Place happened, I was literally
all alone. But I just I kept being I you know,
I had my morning intentions that I told you about,
and I just kept hanging on to the gratitude of
(16:31):
the love that we shared and that there was something,
you know, that the future was still going to be
positive for me. And then and then I you know,
endeavored to handle my grief and as evolved away as
I could and heal and deal. It was very, very tough,
especially since it was shelter in place and I was alone,
(16:53):
but I just kept hanging on to gratitude and the
belief that good things would happen. So then I started
doing grief counseling after I was like a couple of
years into it, because I did, you know, sort of
evolve a couple of practices for me that I thought
would help other people. And so during my grief counseling,
(17:15):
I met a man that I was very very much
able to help him. He had lost his wife again
very suddenly, and we formed a relationship and within six
months we fell madly in love and we're now married.
And I am sure that it was because, like I am,
(17:40):
you know, took my because I stayed open to the possibility.
I stayed as grateful as I was able to during
that process, and then I was willing to give so
my you know, my intention with the grief counseling was
to offer kindness and soul and you know, healing for
(18:02):
those who were going through what I went through.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
What a great story. How much of this, Brenda is
God's hand?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Well, I definitely think, I mean, I actually even feel
like there were angels like out there swirling around helping us,
like maybe my partner and my husband's wife Mary. So
I think there might be a whole crew out there
that we're helping us, because it definitely felt like there
was something magical happening and something sort of like like
(18:34):
a heavenly benevolence was there for us.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Absolutely, listen to more Coast to Coast AM every weeknight
at one am Eastern and go to Coast to coastam
dot com for more
Now here's a highlight. From Coast to Coast am on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And welcome back George Noory with you. Brenda Night with
Us began her career at HarperCollins Publishing, working with luminaries
such as Palo Koelow, Mary Ann Williamson, His Holiness, the
Dalai Lama. She was awarded the Indie FABS Publisher of
the Year Award in twenty fifteen and is the author
(00:25):
of Random Acts of Kindness, The Gratitude, The Grateful Table,
and The Women of the Beat Generation, which won an
American Book Award. She's the publisher at Books that Save
Lives and also teaches at the San Francisco Writers Conference.
After nearly twelve years from Coast to Coast, she's back, Brenda.
Where have you been?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I don't now. I guess I was out doing so
many acts of kindness. But I can't think of a
better way to celebrate the first day of Spring that
being here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
This is great. Can you believe almost twelve years?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah, but I've been listening and like you guys are
just keep being incredibly awesome and I love what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
When you were on we talk about your book, The
grateful table, right.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Now we've got random acts of kindness. Well, what what
is so important of kindness and gratitude.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Kindness and gratitude really go hand in hand. And if
you're sort of feeling sorry for yourself or down in
the dumps, like, the first thing you should do is
something kind for others, like even if it's just like
opening a door for a stranger or just some simple
active goodness and kindness, and it gets you out of
your own head and back into your heart. And the
(01:44):
practice of gratitude also can very much help you just
in like just your daily existence and help you with
your mood and staying upbeat. I often find that even
I need a gratitude adjustment.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Is this like karma?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yes, yeah, it is. One of my favorite of the
practices of kindness is what they do in Hawaii, but
it's spreading, is called living a Loha, and it's simple
acts of goodness that you do for strangers. Again, it
can be something just very simple, like helping an elderly
(02:23):
lady at the grocery store and like you know, lifting
her groceries like into her trunk of her car. Just
really simple acts of goodness. I think more of that
can bring the world together, which is needed right now.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I had a friend of mine who every once in
a while would look at somebody in the checkout line
of a food supermarket and go up and pay the bill.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I love that. That's a beautiful act of kindness. And
there's what I love about random acts of kindness is
that it is a global movement and it's sort of
it's still easy to do. Like you can, you know,
pay for somebody. If you're in a toll bridge, you
can pay for somebody behind you. You can if you're
(03:08):
in like a drive through at Starbucks, you can pay
for somebody's coffee order behind you. And those things like
bring us together and we really need that. But it
also really is uplifting. It just it just you know,
can just change your whole attitude for the day, week, month,
and sometimes we all need that.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think he always looked at how full the basket was,
but he paid for it. Nonetheless, he's a good man. No,
gratitude and kindness are they two different things? Shore are
they the same?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, they're two different things, but they do go nicely together.
And I'll focus on gratitude for a minute, which is
a sense of thankfulness. I mean, I think we live
in a stressed out world. I think there's no denial
of that. Instead of focusing on like how bad things
are or how scary the news is, which can scare
(04:06):
you to death, Like just just turn tune all that out,
turn all that off, and think about what you have
and and then just be grateful for that and then
so that that is the transformation that can be so
easy with a sense of gratitude and practicing that. Whereas
(04:26):
kindness is giving to others, it's selfless acts and it
can be you know, small or large, but no matter
what the size, it will it will mean a lot
to the other person, the recipient. And it's true that
like whatever you give will come back to you tenfold.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
There's no question, Brenda that people who lack empathy lack
the ability to do this, don't they?
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yes, But I think they can learn it. I think
I think it can be a learned skill. And that's
why it's a good idea, George, for us to model
that to just like, you know, to just be an example.
And it doesn't have to be preachy or doesn't have
to be showy. It can just be simple and sometimes
(05:15):
the simpler the better, and I think other people will
pick it up, especially if if you do that for them,
somebody that might be lacking empathy, like, go ahead and
be kind, but go ahead and be generous to them,
go ahead and find something to be grateful for about them.
(05:36):
They'll pick it up eventually, and it's worth the effort.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It's incredible what the simple task of opening a door
for somebody would do.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Brenda, I agree. I agree, and I do it when
I can, especially for elder people, and they deserve that
respect and honor. And when somebody does it for me,
I am very grateful and I make sure to say
thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
I love going to the post office box looking for
somebody getting out of their car holding the boxes and
boxes of stuff, and you know they can't open the door,
and you just stand by the door and open it
up for them when they go in, and they're in shock, right.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
But good for you for modeling that, And then you've
said an example, and they'll probably do that for somebody
the next time. Because I think people are innately inherently good.
I do believe that, and I think sometimes we all
just need a little reminder.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Now you grew up poor, didn't you?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I sure did. I grew up on a haller in
West Virginia, on a farm, but I didn't know what
we didn't have. I mean, I didn't realize that we
were like you know, Hillbilly's or Hicks or whatever. You know.
I had no idea of that, because like my mom, Helen,
like you know, set an example of being grateful and
(07:05):
being modest and being a good person. Like she's ninety eight,
still lives in West Virginia and is very healthy. I
think her attitude of gratitude and kindness is keeping her
here with us, and I hope she's here for a
long long time. But yeah, I grew up poor, but
I didn't know it. It was only when I moved
(07:26):
to California that I realize, like, oh I was that
I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn't.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
My mother's like yours. She's going to be ninety six
in May, and she's one of the most generous, nice
people I've ever known.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well, she did a good job with raising you.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Well, thank you, Brenda. I think she did. Dad did two.
Both good people be awesome. When you do something unexpectedly
for somebody, it generally comes back in some form or
fashion of goodness for you. I've seen it happen time
(08:09):
and time again, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yes, I have. And uh and I think actually the Bible,
like you know, even like mentions that like the good
Samaritan parable and things like that. And but what I
love about it is that people that are giving in
that way, people are generous and good Samaritans, like they're
not doing it, you know, for that karmic you know,
(08:33):
boomerang or whatever. They're not thinking about that at all.
They're in the moment. You know, they're just doing what
they feel called to do in the moment. But it
definitely does come back. And I have seen that, and
I've experienced it too, where you know, a friend was
like really in trouble and you know, I went out
(08:54):
of my way, you know, went to their house, like
stayed with them. In fact, like a girlfriend of mine,
her boyfriend passed away very unexpectedly. I mean, he was young.
It was really really shocking. She was in shock, and
I went over there to just be with her. She
couldn't even really talk. And then you know, I just
(09:17):
did simple things like you know, washed the dishes, swept
the floor, went out and got groceries, just really really
basic stuff, and I and you know, I just thought
that's the least I could do. And I couldn't think
of you know, I wanted to help her in a
more profound way, but that was like what was right
in front of me, like sort of chop witho, you know,
(09:38):
Carrie Water. And then years later she told me that
like that like made a huge difference to her and
like sort of kept her, helped her keep it together
because she was in a lot of pain. So I
was really happy to know that that helped her. And
then actually she helped me with a similar situation.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
I found all of this Brenda is to do it
without expecting anything to come back and return.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Yes, that's exactly right. That's the beauty of random acts
of kindness. Like there's no expectation. You just give it
away and just like you know, let it go and
like you know, let it go out to the universe
and spread more goodness.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
And it will happen on its own.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I spent nine years with the Navy. My insurance company
is a military insurance company for people who have served
or continue to serve. It's a huge company and every
once in a while they divvy up the profits and
give you a little check. It's not huge, but they
(10:47):
give the members who I am, a check at the
end of the year. Well, I forgot all about it.
I gave some homeless person some money. They were holding
the sign, and I felt really sad for him and
gave them a little more than I should have. But
what the heck, But I just gave it to him,
(11:08):
didn't expect anything back. Went to the po box. It
was a check from my insurance company for ten times
what I gave the person. How do you explain that?
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Well, I do think that the universe and whatever, like
you know, whatever big energy is. I mean, like, you know,
my mom as an evangelical Christian, so she she would
say God, you know, God had a hand in it.
Other more new age types here in California would say,
the universe has your back. But I do think that
(11:46):
when you put good things out, it comes back. And
so you weren't expecting anything when you gave to that
homeless guy, and then you know, the universe had your back.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Exactly. Omers Generation Y and Z are they all different?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
You know, I think they are, but there's certain commonalities.
What has been interesting to I do actually like to
read about demographics. And what I had read by the
psychologists who you know, really knows his stuff, is that
Generation Z is has the most in common with the
(12:28):
the the great general the greatest generation, like which I
think yours and my mom and dad are like of
that of that generation, Like they're the ones that fought
World War two, Korea, et cetera. Like they they they served,
you know, when when they were needed, they served with
you know, and and proudly. And so I keep wondering
(12:52):
what it is that like Generation Z is going to
be called to do, to step up and serve. I'm
I'm I'm quite interested to see what they do. And
I like that that they harkened back to that greatest generation.
And according to like this you know psychologist, that there's
(13:14):
cycles like so there there's patterns like so you know,
so other generations like are similar to the ones that
are fifty years before.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
By the way, I've got to get into what your
dad might have told you about UFOs who worked in
that area.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Didn't he Yes, he did?
Speaker 2 (13:38):
He told you something, didn't he?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yes? He did? Should we go for it?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Now, let's wait a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Okay, it's fun.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Tell me this though, were you surprised or shocked with
what he told you?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
I was? I was. I was surprised and shocked because
my dad was a marine, and so you know, he
was very disciplined and very sober and not given to
a lot of you know, chit chat or gossip or anything,
just the facts, and so I was pretty floored with
what he told me.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Okay, I can't wait to get into that. Do you
talk about gratitude is more than just saying gracious thanksgiving?
I agree with that.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
It sure is. I mean it has to be. It
should be, you know, not just one day a year,
but like three sixty five twenty four to seven in
my opinion. And it's easy to practice gratitude. I mean
I do something every morning. I set my morning intention.
Sometimes it's when I'm still laying down in bed, and
(14:48):
like I wake up and I feel grateful to be
alive and grateful for another day and another opportunity to experience,
and and then I will sort of go into like
what's going to happen in that day. If I have
a lot of meetings, like I will say, well, I
intend that those meetings go well. I intend that like
(15:11):
this meeting with this author is you know, really inspired,
and that I'm inspired and they're inspired.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
And like, for.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Example, I knew I was going to be like on
Coast to coast with you, George, and so I set
my intention that we were going to have fun. There
was going to be some enlightened moments, and that like
the listeners were, you know, getting a lot out of it.
And I hope and intend all that is true.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
It'll happen, to be sure, tell me one of the
most thankful things that has ever happened to you.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Well this this is a tough one, but like that,
it's an important one. So right before the pandemic, my
partner passed away very suddenly. He had cancer, but we
thought he had years to live, and then he had
a surgery to deal with it, and there was an
error that was made in the surgery and so he
(16:08):
passed away. So it was a sudden death that was
very very very shocking, and it was right before the pandemic.
So then when Shelter and Place happened, I was literally
all alone. But I just I kept being I you know,
I had my morning intentions that I told you about,
and I just kept hanging on to the gratitude of
(16:31):
the love that we shared and that there was something,
you know, that the future was still going to be
positive for me. And then and then I you know,
endeavored to handle my grief and as evolved away as
I could and heal and deal. It was very, very tough,
especially since it was shelter in place and I was alone,
(16:53):
but I just kept hanging on to gratitude and the
belief that good things would happen. So then I started
doing grief counseling after I was like a couple of
years into it, because I did, you know, sort of
evolve a couple of practices for me that I thought
would help other people. And so during my grief counseling,
(17:15):
I met a man that I was very very much
able to help him. He had lost his wife again
very suddenly, and we formed a relationship and within six
months we fell madly in love and we're now married.
And I am sure that it was because, like I am,
(17:40):
you know, took my because I stayed open to the possibility.
I stayed as grateful as I was able to during
that process, and then I was willing to give so
my you know, my intention with the grief counseling was
to offer kindness and soul and you know, healing for
(18:02):
those who were going through what I went through.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
What a great story. How much of this, Brenda is
God's hand?
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Well, I definitely think, I mean, I actually even feel
like there were angels like out there swirling around helping us,
like maybe my partner and my husband's wife Mary. So
I think there might be a whole crew out there
that we're helping us, because it definitely felt like there
was something magical happening and something sort of like like
(18:34):
a heavenly benevolence was there for us.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Absolutely, listen to more Coast to Coast AM every weeknight
at one am Eastern and go to Coast to coastam
dot com for more
The Best of Coast to Coast AM News
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George Noory
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