Expressing Gratitude

If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough. – Meister Eckhart

Due to the covid virus ravaging the world, expressing gratitude has grown in popularity during this awful pandemic. Gratitude for nurses and doctors; gratitude for marvelous people providing services; gratitude for teachers, courageous first responders; gratitude for retail workers and so many others who deserve our praise and thanks. Twitter saw a rise in prayer emoji use and developed a new emoji to express gratitude – hands folded into a heart shape: #thankful, #gratitude. All of us should stop and give thanks each day. During quiet moments show gratitude to those whose lives you interact with. Say thank you when you meet anyone deserving your gratitude.

Be grateful for the beautiful world in which we live. Express thanks for the vibrant colors and luscious plants that spread like a visual banquet across the land. Find nearby green spaces in which to appreciate the vast array of leafy, flowering wonders. Show gratitude for the bounty provided for the eyes and spirit. My mother used to keep small potted plants on her kitchen window sill so even in the subzero depths of winter she could be grateful to nature’s splendor. Make nature a part of your life and be grateful for the connection to humanity’s ancient, wild roots.

Be grateful for the beautiful life with which you have been blessed. The world is a better place because you are here. Find ways to show you are grateful for the blessings you have. Fill your heart with the bouquets of gratitude and appreciation. Appreciate the incredible fact that out of all the souls in the Universe – you are unique. Say the simple prayer of thank you when you rise and when you sleep. Express gratitude for the divine force that animates all life. Revel in the restorative power you receive from gratefulness.

Expressing gratitude and giving thanks in turn shines an exuberant warmth on your spirit. The positive light shining from you in turn is reflected back to you. This brightening of the lives of others will gloriously illuminate the world. Say thank you, be grateful, stay safe, keep healthy. Peace.