The Habitude of Gratitude

Remember when you were a kid and were thrilled at having a popsicle in each hand to slurp to your heart’s content? Maybe it wasn’t a popsicle, but we’ve all had joy at getting something we really wanted. Maybe it wasn’t a thing but an experience. I was so happy on my 7th birthday when I taught myself to ride my birthday bicycle in one day all by myself!

As many of us prepare for Thanksgiving Day, gratitude is in the air. Many have the tradition of expressing thanks before the family meal for family, friends, and opportunities. Many continue the expression of thanks beyond that one designated day.

The habitude of gratitude is a positive practice with many benefits. First we have to actively look for things to be grateful for and this helps us to “stop and smell the roses.” It connects us to the world and reminds us that we have abundance right now.

It also affects our emotions. The expression of gratitude always gives me strong feelings of love and joy. Speaking the words of gratitude out loud, affirming them, makes them real for us. “Thank you for the taste of coffee” makes me experience the flavor of coffee more intensely. It is an active practice which fills us with positive energy and sends it out into the world.

Whether we have a formal gratitude practice or occasional expressions, whether we are grateful for big things or seemingly trivial things, every expression of gratitude lifts us up and makes the world a more positive place.

As Thornton Wilder expressed so well, “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”