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 Pete in Sedona, AZ via Pass it on
BOULDER
Gratitude is not a passive response to something we have been given; gratitude arises from paying attention, from being awake in the presence of everything that lives within and without us… Thanksgiving happens when our sense of presence meets all other presences. Being unappreciative might mean we are simply not paying attention.
~David Whyte, shared by Sara in Madison WI (found in Whyte’s Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words)
PONDER
I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with the usual slew of December holidays following right behind. Long-time Ripplers know that one of my favorite traditions is the annual gratitude-themed Ripples—and lately I’ve been releasing it a week early so you have a little time to spread these ripples outward to friends, family, and colleagues.
This year’s Pebble and Boulder remind us that gratitude is more than a feeling. It’s a way of thinking, a way of being, and—importantly—gratitude requires action, too.
A few weeks ago, I drove up to Dayton for a quick meeting. The trip up was pure yum: clear roads, simple directions, great conversation. The return? The yuck of rush hour. Google Maps was a sea of yellow and red…and so was my mood. Then I caught myself, took a few deep HERE NOW breaths, and remembered a mindful gratitude exercise I’d learned: noticing as many tiny things as possible to be grateful for in five minutes. My gas tank is full. This playlist is perfect. That meeting really was fun. By the time I pulled into my driveway—later than planned but lighter of heart—the traffic had become part of the practice.
With repetition, gratitude shifts from a checklist to a rhythm—an ongoing exchange between giving and receiving. The act becomes the action; the feeling becomes a practice. At first it takes effort; with time it becomes the way we move through the world.
However calm or crazy the coming weeks may be, may you find plenty of moments to notice and appreciate the good stuff that’s all around.
Peace,
Paul
P.S. If you’re craving an extra helping of gratitude, take a peek at our Grateful Archive with quotes from the past 26 years. You can also sift through all of the past Ripples issues that are tagged with Gratitude.