PEBBLE
Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence. We must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart.
~Larissa Gomez, shared by Olivia in Arizona
BOULDER
What if gratitude is a causal force that creates something new in us, through us, and as us?
What if gratitude is a spiritual catalyst — a change agent forging new life, new hope, new strength?
What if gratitude is a transformative energy that prepares our hearts and heads and hands and feet for the potential good that is yet to come?
~Toby Causby, written and shared by Toby in Chicago, IL via tobynotes
PONDER
Happy Thanksgiving to you, and Happy Anniversary, too!
It’s now been 25 years since we began our tradition of unleashing a gratitude-themed Ripples around this time of year. If you sift through our Grateful Archives, you’ll see how we’ve tried to present gratitude as more than just a feeling. It can also be a way of thinking, and a way of moving through the world.
Today’s quotes invite us to think of gratitude as an active energy with transformative potential. It’s not something we need to force upon ourselves (or others): this would be a receipe for resentment and frustration–which does not make for a yummy Thanksgiving side dish!
At the same time, we may be sitting around and waiting for gratitude to magically appear when it’s more likely that gratitude is patiently waiting on the sidelines for us to signal that we’re eager for a visit. Pause right now and look around you: can you spy one thing that is in your immediate environment that you’re glad is there?
Even when life isn’t perfectly fabulous (or maybe ESPECIALLY when life isn’t perfectly fabulous) it is still worthwhile to recognize and savor the good stuff that’s making life more bearable. Being able to recognize the YUM around us helps us endure and/or conquer any YUCK that also happens to be present. When you really open up your heart, you can even experiment with being grateful for the YUCK itself, which sometimes paves the way for insight and growth.
Whatever is going on for you right now, may gratitude lift your spirits and plant some seeds for future hope. And whether you’ve been reading Ripples for a few weeks or many years, please know that my own gratitude is significantly strengthened by your presence. For realsies.
Peace,
Paul
