The scheme of gratitude is larger than we know.
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Gratitude is expanded with practice. Some people are conscious of expressing gratitude, and many are just formal or use it occasionally.
Gratitude simply means being thankful or returning kindness.
When we practice gratitude, we learn how powerful it is. Otherwise, it remains under the shadow of minimum social or cultural norms.
Gratitude is adopted only when we are made aware of its positive impact on relationships, organisations, business, social settings, or even family affairs.
When we feel self-sufficient, we feel less gratitude. We breathe fresh air and take it for granted, as we estimate that the air is freely available. There is no gratitude for anyone who keeps the air fresh, including the grand arrangements of nature. We are good at health; we feel it is the result of our own consciousness. In both cases, we must review the position. We don’t pay attention to the roots in the sense that we have no control over air and have insufficient grip over the multiple systems working in our bodies, in spite of our alertness.
A quote attributed to Albert Einstein reads:
There are only two ways to live your life: the first is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is that everything is a miracle.
When we see no reason to express gratitude, it means we are looking at things casually and shallowly. We don’t know how nature operates in such huge combinations of systems.
Apart from the vast picture of the universe, we are dependent on people, places, woods, rivers, and animals at all times. We need air, water, food, clothes, shelters, infrastructure, systems, and regulations, and how these things are serving us is something of which we are partially aware. We normally don’t consider the contributions of others, so we are ungrateful.
Benefits of gratitude
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1. People who count their blessings, whatever they are, are happier and less likely to complain.
2. Gratitude strengthens our relationships. Where there is a sense of gratitude, people prosper.
3. When we see that we are full of blessings, the chances of anger, disappointment, jealousy, and conflicts are minimised.
4. There are minimal distractions, as there is no counting of what others have. A rare comparison, as greediness is at a low ebb.
5. Gratitude is the best answer to tensions, differences, and many other recurring problems.
6. Gratitude keeps us in the present moment. Past and future remain on the outer periphery of our thinking processes, as no priority is given to what happened or what is likely to happen.
7. It is a tool to expand conducive environments in the home, workplace, meetings for any cause, or something as routine.
8. Inner power has opportunities to be reflected in good action when gratitude is expressed.
9. Appreciation is a form of gratitude. Appreciation brings two people of even-contrasted views together. Many of us appreciate less. We have to learn to appreciate even the smallest give and take.
10. Gratitude opens the gate to all virtues. Nevertheless, we rarely find words beyond thank you, in common parlance.
11. Gratitude can anchor us and help us bounce back from adverse situations.
HOW TO LEARN
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Gratitude can’t be forced. Let it evolve through practice. Gratitude evolves when we look at things free from biases, our own benefits, and narrow-mindedness. Count the moments of gratitude per day. Let it increase day by day.
Gratitude comes from our thoughts. We have the power to choose good thoughts. It requires regular practices, and slowly we become more attentive and don’t forget to say a few good words in response, not allowing good moments to go unrecognised.
Whole systems work for our well-being all the time; some are on safety, some are ensuring our movements, some are in food supply, some are in health care, some are on innovation, and some are on making the world better. Hundreds of things have been brought together to ensure our comfort for the day.
Going further, we do not have to express gratitude only when things are going our way. Expressing gratitude even when we are not comfortable is the real test of our inner power.
When we do not omit a moment to express gratitude for the services of others, we have learned gratitude at a reasonable level.
Let my understanding of gratitude be concluded with the words of Annette Funicello.
Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Thus, gratitude is not only a formality; it makes our lives wonderful.