THE ART OF GRATITUDE / EL ARTE DE SER AGRADECIDO

 THE ART OF GRATITUDE /EL ARTE DE SER AGRADECIDO

During this month of November, we are reminded to  practice the art of gratitude. But what is gratitude? It is the ability to count and appreciate our blessings, our gifts, our everyday reality. Furthermore, it is the ability to share those blessings and those gifts. It is the capacity to pass along those things that we are grateful for. Be it health, family, wealth, a good job, and the list can go in and on.  We have to be aware that not everyone enjoys those gifts, that there are many that desire them and that it is our obligation to provide those in need with the enjoyment that we have.

How can we develop gratitude and teach it to our children? By doing acts of kindness. For instance if we are grateful for always having plenty to eat in our home, why don’t we take food to the pantry in our church or homeless shelter? Why don’t we make it a point, when we go shopping with our children for our Thanksgiving meal, to buy double of the non-perishables and donate them?

If we are blessed with a close loving family, we could make it a habit to visit a nursing home and find those senior citizens that are alone without any family members to keep them company during the holidays.

Developing an attitude of gratitude is really just being thankful and showing it with our actions towards others.