Here dies another day
During which I have had eyes, ears, hands
And the great world round me;
And with tomorrow begins another.
Why am I allowed two?
–G. K. Chesterton (1874 – 1936)
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Why two?
When things go wrong
One act of thanksgiving
when things go wrong with us,
is worth a thousand thanks
when things are agreeable
to our inclinations.
–St. John of Avila (1500 – 1569)
Awakening to new wonders
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us—and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.
–Thomas Merton (1915 – 1968)
The greatest saint
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? Well, it is not he who is prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms, or is most eminent for his temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, and who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for His goodness.
–William Law
(1686 – 1761)
The only prayer
If the only prayer
you say in your whole life
is “Thank you”
that would suffice.
–Meister Eckhart (1260 – c. 1328)
Gratitude unlocks life
Gratitude unlocks to fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
–Melody Beattie
The critical thing
When it comes to life
the critical thing is whether
you take things for granted
or take them with gratitude.
–G. K. Chesterton
