A Message of Thanks for You !
As we enter the holiday season with Thanksgiving, this is a time to reflect on the meaning of giving thanks, expressing gratitude.
Author William Faulkner said, “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”
An unknown author said it this way, “Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by a breeze of kindness.”
Historically, the experience of gratitude has been a focus of several world religions. In Judaism, gratitude is an essential part of the act of worship and a part of every aspect of a worshiper’s life. According to the Hebrew worldview, all things come from God and because of this, gratitude is extremely important to the followers of Judaism. Emphasis is on showing gratitude through “acts of human kindness and goodness.”
In Christianity, gratitude has been said to mold or shape the entire Christian life. Christian gratitude is regarded as a virtue that shapes not only emotions and thoughts but actions and deeds. Gratitude in Christianity is an acknowledgment of God’s generosity that inspires Christians to shape their own thoughts and actions around such ideals.
In the Catholic and Anglican Churches, the most important rite is called the Eucharist; the name derives from the Greek word eucharistia for thanksgiving.
The Islamic sacred text, The Quran, is filled with the idea of gratitude. Islam encourages its followers to be grateful and express thanks to God in all circumstances. Islamic teaching emphasizes the idea that those who are grateful will be rewarded with more. The prophet Muhammad said, “Gratitude for the abundance you have received is the best insurance that the abundance will continue.”
In The Prosperos Foundation class Translation®, we learn of the “Rule of Gratitude” - Gratitude is the recognition of present good. Criticism is the recognition of present evil. Criticism is the exact opposite of gratitude. Gratitude cannot express without eliminating criticism and fault-finding from both Translation® and experience.”
Understanding of the truth of who we are (as consciousness) allows the unpredictable good of any situation or person to come forth. Each breakthrough we have in seeing through adversity or evil, what we call sense testimony, to the truth of whatever we are experiencing - putting our attention, our focus on the unpredictable good - opens us up new opportunities which lead to a focus on what is possible, allowing us to express gratitude for a new understanding.
Why is gratitude important? The Roman orator and philosopher, Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.”
Gratitude is important, because it is a recognition of our world and the players in it. When we sincerely express our gratitude, it can lift someone’s spirits, help us to connect, and show that we recognize others for their value and the contribution they are making to our life and theirs. When expressed outwardly, gratitude is a way to make a positive effect in the universe.
Genuinely expressing gratitude leads to cooperation and reciprocity. It also nurtures a person’s spirit so they, in turn, can nurture the spirit of anyone in both their working and personal lives.
So, gratitude is not a thing but an attitude of reaching out in kindness and appreciation. It is the unconditional giving of ourselves and an appreciation of the time, energy, talent, and ideas we receive from those we attract into our lives. Gratitude is an attitude of thankfulness we can express every day not just at Thanksgiving or even Christmas.
We are grateful to all who make it possible for our School to spread the message of Ontology.