What is Gratitude?

Right now, most likely, something is right with your life.  Most of us are fortunate to live in relative physical safety, most of us have enough food to eat, water to drink, and a shelter of some sort to protect us from the elements.  For a moment, let us just remember that this is not true for at least a third of the world’s 7 billion human inhabitants.

Given this great good fortune to have what we need in physical terms, what do we do with that freedom?  For some, a desire for “more” arises.  Sometimes this feeling of wanting more we try to fill up with things – money, experiences.  When and if that doesn’t work, some try to escape that feeling of want through any number of means.  For maybe a small percentage of people, that desire for more is met with courage – the courage to know that nothing outside ourselves will ever fill up that space.  This is a moment of great choice.

For right now, in this moment, using any “coming to Presence” method that you wish, be utterly and completely here.

Feel your body here, in this moment.  Your mind, even with its activity, bring it here, to awareness of right now.  Ask deeply, “What peace is present here?  What Love is here, right now?” Then really listen.

Listen with your body, your awareness, your whole self.  Bring your whole self and give it to this very moment.  Only in fully being here, in surrender, in gratitude, for this moment, can you receive, and accept that only this presence you will carry with you to the next moment, so take it all in, right now, be with where you are, in whatever situation appears to arise.

What a lucky opportunity!  In the space of your open heart, breathe.  Think of anything, someone, something, some place or experience, for which you are grateful.  Gratitude comes from awareness of all that we are, all that we have, right now, at any moment.

One of the most lovely aspects of gratitude is the natural inclination that follows towards generosity.  We can give freely, with an open heart when we recognize and honor what we have.

Out of gratitude comes truly more.  What can you give that you want to receive?  If you want to receive unconditional love, can you give that today?  If you want to receive understanding, can you offer it to even a difficult situation, right now?   This honors the freedom we are given.