Why Gratitude?

Have you ever wondered why gratitude is an important attribute? Have you considered gratitude in the context of grief? Do you think you have little for which to be thankful? Well, if that is the case, perhaps start with being grateful for the small things of life! If you have more important, perhaps monumental reasons for which you are thankful, lucky you! It doesn’t matter if your gratitudes are small or large, we always have room for more. Whether your gratitude muscle needs exercise or it is bursting with abundance, treasure all of them in your heart. Here are some thoughts on gratitude as well as being thankful when experiencing grief.

Quotes on Thankfulness

1. For my part, I am almost contented now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever. Charlotte Bronte
2. The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become. Robert Holden
3. When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. Willie Nelson
4. Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. Eckhart Tolle
5. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. Thornton Wilder
6. This is a wonderful day, I’ve never seen this one before. Maya Angelou
7. Gratitude also opens your eyes to the limitless potential of the universe, while dissatisfaction closes your eyes to it. Stephen Richards
8. Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. Oprah Winfrey
9. Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. William Arthur Ward
10. Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. Robert Brault

Gratitude Even During Grief

Sometimes when we are in the midst of grief, gratitude may be the last thing on our minds. Through a series of serendipitous happenings, I found myself creating a daily list of ten things for which I was thankful while our son was in hospice. It seemed a shock to my system to even consider this. However, I will say it was one of the most transformative actions I’ve ever taken in my life. If a mother who is anticipating the death of her child can list gratitudes, then anyone can.

During hard times, it is too easy to feel sorry for ourselves. Searching for reasons for which to be thankful broadens our scope to truly see what is before us. Remember these quotes tell us that gratitude can be heart warming and life altering as a transformative practice. We become present, feel alive and induce abundance. Being thankful creates a sense of wonder and limitless potential.

Just last night, my husband and I watched a movie which was an old favorite of our son’s. I could have been sad watching it. However, I chose differently. There was a scene that struck me as hysterical, simply because of memories of our son imitating this silly scene. It felt so good to gratefully laugh about the memories.

Remember the benefits of gratitude. Anything upon which we place our attention tends to multiply. Gratitude begets more gratitude. Concentrating on loss multiplies loss. Be grateful for what you had, what you have and what you will have, but mostly be grateful for now!

For further reading on gratitude, check out Gratitude for Hard Times.