Quoting from the official site of World Gratitude Day: “The official beginning of World Gratitude Day was in 1965 at the East-West Center in Hawaii at a Thanksgiving dinner honoring grantees hosted by Sri Chinmoy, a meditation guru. As director of the United Nations Meditation Group, he suggested the idea as a globally unifying holiday. Each person pledged to hold a gratitude gathering each September 21 in his or her own country. The United Nations Meditation Group formally celebrated World Gratitude Day on September 21, 1977 at the New York Headquarters.”
In today’s world, it may seem at times like we have little to be thankful for. From natural disasters to political disasters to intolerance, poverty, war – you name it – the world can seem a dark and frightening place sometimes. Yet there is hardly ever a day when we can’t find something to be thankful for, even if it’s only life itself, food, shelter, health, or family.
Showing gratitude is helpful in so many ways. It makes the day so much more pleasant for the person giving gratitude and the person receiving it. It helps create positive mental health, and a better outlook on life. It helps create bonds between people. It also helps to keep us from taking things for granted.
Gratitude Habitat suggests these six ways to show gratitude today. I’m sure you can think of many more.
- Be courteous and kind. Do something nice for someone.
- Say thank you.
- Start a gratitude journal.
- Write thank you notes, either ones you have been putting off, or to someone who has helped you in the past.
- Give back
- Pay it forward, or have some have called it, do a random act of kindness.
I’m grateful for all who read these posts. So thank you!
Quotes on gratitude
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.–John F. Kennedy
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.–Oprah Winfrey
Each moment a blessing of abundance, each breath a prayer of thanksgiving.–Michael Rawls
Everything received with gratitude; everything passed on with grace.–G. K. Chesterton
For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude.–Clarence E. Hodges
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.—Cicero
Gratitude is the memory of the heart.—Massieu
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.–Melody Beattie
I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.–Brene Brown
If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.–Harold Kushner
Ingratitude is the soul’s enemy… Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.—-Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope or fear;
But, grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here.–John Greenleaf Whittier
One of life’s gifts is that each of us, no matter how tired and downtrodden, finds reasons for thankfulness.–J. Robert Maskin
Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.–A. A. Milne
Take full account of the excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.–Marcus Aurelius
Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.–W. J. Cameron
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