Gratitude

 I awoke this morning with this prayer on my lips:

 

Thank you for this body, flawed as it is.

Thank you for this mind and its capacity to think, to dream, to imagine.

Thank you for this heart that can feel the full measure of life’s sorrow and joy. 

 

It was a different way to begin the day. A notable contrast from “What the hell. Might as well get up.” Or “Damn, this house is cold!” Or “I really need a haircut.” I have no idea where it came from or why or who exactly I was thanking, but none of that mattered. I was simply graced with a moment of gratitude and couldn’t we all use a little bit more of that?

 

The word itself comes from the Latin root gratus meaning “pleasing, thankful” and also gives us grace, gracious, gratis, gratuity. Thus, its association with prayer, courtesy, civility, something free and something freely given (a tip). These are good words. These are good qualities. These are entirely missing from the news headlines each day. 

 

And you, my friend. What are you grateful for today?