by National House of Prayer
The interdependence of gratefulness is truly mutual. The receiver of the gift depends on the giver. Obviously so. But the circle of gratefulness is incomplete until the giver of the gift becomes the receiver: a receiver of thanks. When we give thanks, we give something greater than the gift we received, whatever it was. The greatest gift once can give is thanksgiving. In giving gifts we give what we can spare, but in giving thanks we give ourselves. One who says “Thank You” to another really says, “We belong together.” Giver and Thanksgiver belong together. The bond that unites them frees them from alienation. Does our soceity suffer from so much alienation because we fail to cultivate gratefulness? Great question there at the end wasn’t it?
Br. David Steindl-Rast has a website called Gratefulness.org.