Gratitude is a Practice

 I believe that the practice of feeling and expressing gratitude is an art form. Like any discipline, it requires steady direction and daily exercise. I can skim the surface with no effort at all, and be quite sincere about that being enough, but what I’m after is the peace which comes from digging deep, from going beyond the obvious and into the sacred unknown.

I have a lot of choice in this. If I decide that in my comings and goings today, I am going to show kindness, I must follow up with the reminder to myself that we are all worthy beings, and we all have our own stories, stressors, and solutions. I have to decide that I will not be the thorn in another’s pursuit of their own peace and joy. If I can instead be a participant in the ripples of kind action, then I am being part of the larger solution. 

Peace pervades both body and spirit when I relax into the flow of goodness in the world. Gratitude gets me there, bringing to the forefront of my mind all that is good and sweet and holy.

Gratitude also helps me to see where I can be a change-agent in the world, even in just a tiny way. Mother Theresa said of service “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Practicing gratitude for all that is right with the world and for all that can be right puts me in the mindset of hope. Hope leads to the next right actions, which enable gratitude in others.

I believe that the practice of gratitude puts us on a Higher Plane, and can change the world. Let it begin with me.