The Practice of Gratitude

Gratitude has the power to do three things:

Heal of past hurts

Give hope for the

future

Turn our minds

toward what is good

~Dr. Robert Emmons

Gratitude affirms that life is good. Life is not perfect without hurts.

There is always goodness in life.

We can still name tragedy as tragedy.

We choose with our minds, hearts, and souls to also see the Good.

We see simple gifts.

We savor the moment and thank God for those gifts we still have.

We attribute these gifts to a Giver behind the gift.

We acknowledge a Source of Goodness that is outside of ourselves.

We admit our humble dependence--that others did something for me and that there is a Higher Being that provided for me.

A grateful person can receive gifts that other people are providing for them.

A grateful person can see life itself as a gift.