Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.
John Milton
Even those of us far removed from childhood can remember the subtle, and not so subtle, reminders from the adults in our lives to be grateful. The often asked, “What do you say?” was followed by the obligatory “Thank you,” before running off with whatever gift, treat, or act of kindness given to us.
When not being encouraged to reflexively give thanks, more dramatic methods were employed. Perhaps you remember the frightening little phrase, “I complained of having no shoes until I saw a man with no feet.” Or, maybe like me, on more than one occasion you found yourself staring at a plate of a disagreeable food offering and being told “There are starving children in China (the location seems to vary based on generational and cultural factors) that would love to eat this." And, maybe like me, you thought, “If a starving child in China wants this, let’s wrap it up and send it on its way.”
When not being encouraged to reflexively give thanks, more dramatic methods were employed. Perhaps you remember the frightening little phrase, “I complained of having no shoes until I saw a man with no feet.” Or, maybe like me, on more than one occasion you found yourself staring at a plate of a disagreeable food offering and being told “There are starving children in China (the location seems to vary based on generational and cultural factors) that would love to eat this." And, maybe like me, you thought, “If a starving child in China wants this, let’s wrap it up and send it on its way.”
The intention, of course, was to foster a sense of gratitude in us. The unintended consequence of the guilt-ridden, “Do it or else” approach, is that it takes a spontaneous experience and turns it into something we must do on command. This seems to follow many of us into adulthood and, despite learning to appreciate the taste of broccoli, (the disagreeable food substance of my youth) many of us have a hard time swallowing the concept that gratitude is anything more than just good manners.
Interestingly, the word gratitude comes from the Latin root gratia, which is also the root for grace. Both mean "to be pleased," or "thankful." It’s an irony that many families say grace before sitting down to a plate of food that, in some cases, children in some far off country would be more grateful to have. On a much deeper level, however, grace and gratitude are intrinsically woven into the fabric of life; the warp and woof of existence. Their arrival adds the sweet fragrance of wonder to everyday happenings. They simaltaneously steer us through, and transform, the struggles, challenges, and sufferings of everyday life.
Gratitude seems to be going through a renaissance of late. The current selling point is that it can turn otherwise painful situations into opportunities for growth. This has even shown up in my professional field of psychotherapy where clients are encouraged to “practice” gratitude with the understanding that when they focus on what’s good about their day they will feel better. The trap door, however, lies in that the prescription to practice gratitude may be seen as just another version of something one ought to do. With the echoes of, “Because it’s good for you,” ringing in their ears, many are still left staring ata plate of limp broccoli that is the world and all of its challenges. (My humble apologies to broccoli, which I have, on my own, come to love and appreciate.)
How does one find the healing power of gratitude when it’s all too obvious that life includes suffering; when our knee-jerk reaction is “Thanks, but no thanks”? Does a list of “What went right today” really trump the painful hands many feel they have been dealt? How do we keep gratitude from becoming just a more dressed up version of the optimist’s doctrine of “Don’t worry be happy”?
As someone who has gone through the cancer experience, fully convinced that if cancer did not take me out of this world then its treatment would, I can tell you that even that experience does not move one permanently into a state of gratitude. I find this to be the case with many of the client’s I've seen who’ve gone through traumatic experiences, to include life threatening illnesses. Many emerged with a profound sense of gratitude for still being alive, only to find that it faded like a summer tan; leaving them, once again, pale and tired of life’s minutia.
Gratitude, it seems, is not something one can will into one’s life. Like its counterpart grace, it seems to arrive on its own accord. The good news is that it is a vital element of our true nature. The even better news is that rather than having to be taught to appreciate life, we can unlearn those things that blind us to life’s wonders.
We can begin by refusing to feed gratitude’s opposite. Let’s be honest, the more we take things for granted the less pleasing life seems. Additionally, when we begin to expect the worst in an attempt to avoid disappointment, we step into a trap of our own making. We become ensnared in the twisted logic that there's something to gain in having our belief that “Life sucks and then you die” confirmed. As a result, if the awful thing does not come about, gratitude is replaced by the terrible twins pessimism and cynicism.
In order to open the door to gratitude, it helps to see that all life moves towards happiness and the universe provides endless gifts just waiting to be opened. And while a polite, and even heart-felt, “Thank you” is the mannerly thing to do, we should heed the words of the writer Richard Bach who wrote “The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.” Isn’t this the ultimate expression of gratitude? Once we break free the bonds of guilt, unworthiness, or whatever other psychological mechanisms stand between ourselves and our enjoyment, we will find the awe in everyday life. This, in turn, will alter our experience and change our very existence into one great “Thank you.”
Additional tips for creating an opening for gratitude to flow freely include:
1. Say “yes” to offers from others for help, assistance or support.
2. Practice saying “I don’t know” more often. Rather than a sign of a lack of commitment, it’s a sign that you’re committed to keeping an open mind.
3. Have you cake and eat it too. Deprivation leads to desperation and it’s hard to feel pleased when frantically try to get our needs met.
4. Avoid the expectation trap. Nothing spoils a feel-good moment like wanting, needing or craving its return. Live in the now as it's the playground of grace and gratitude.
5. Forget “Give until it hurts” and “Give until it feels good.” If you’re not finding joy in your giving then all of your gifts carry the stain of suffering. 