David Steindl-Rast

One single gift acknowledged in gratefulness has the power to dissolve the ties of our alienation.

There is no closer bond than the one that gratefulness celebrates, the bond between giver and thanksgiver. Everything is a gift. Grateful living is a celebration of the universal give-and-take of life, a limitless yes to belonging. Can our world survive without gratefulness? Whatever the answer, one thing is certain: to say an unconditional yes to the mutual belonging of all beings will make this a more joyful world. This is the reason why Yes is my favorite synonym for God.

As I express my gratitude, I become more deeply aware of it. And the greater my awareness, the greater my need to express it. What happens here is a spiraling ascent, a process of growth in ever expanding circles around a steady center.

Joy is that kind of happiness that does not depend on what happens.

By looking up, by raising our eyes above our limited horizon, we are more likely to perceive the blessings hidden in affliction.

Any place is sacred ground, for it can become a place of encounter with the divine Presence.

One can learn to focus on "opportunity" as the gift within every given moment. This attitude towards life always improves the situation. Even in times of sickness, someone who habitually practices grateful living will look for the opportunity that a given moment offers and use it creatively.

Eyes see only light, ears hear only sound, but a listening heart perceives meaning.

Gratitude is here presented as more than a feeling, a virtue, or an experience; gratitude emerges as an attitude we can freely choose in order to create a better life for ourselves and for others. The Nigerian Hausa put it this way: Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.

What brings fulfillment is gratefulness, the simple response of our heart to this life in all its fullness.

We have thousands of opportunities every day to be grateful: for having good weather, to have slept well last night, to be able to get up, to be healthy, to have enough to eat. ... There's opportunity upon opportunity to be grateful; that's what life is.

Gratefulness is the gallantry of a heart ready to rise to the opportunity a given moment offers.

Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long_x000D_ _x000D_ as we take things for granted they don't make us happy. Gratefulness is_x000D_ _x000D_ the key to happiness. Practicing gratitude is so central to my spirituality.

Each one of us is called to become that great song that comes out of the silence, and the more we let ourselves down into that great silence the more we become capable of singing that great song.

Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.