An attitude of gratitude

Photo by Jackson David

“If the only prayer you every say in your life is thank you, it will be enough” says the great Dominican mystic, Meister Eckhart.

In the first world, we take so much for granted – fresh air, clean water, a safe place to live, and we don’t even notice it.  In Ireland many of us were brought up to say Grace before meals.  This simple practice was a way of remembering how the food came to be in front of us, to consider those who prepared it, bought it, packed the shelves in the supermarket, brought it to the supermarket and those – sometimes in faraway places – who planted the seeds and looked after the crops. 

We take each new day for granted, don’t notice the nice warm clothes we enjoy wearing, turn on the radio or tv without giving it a thought, accept the smile of a friend without even noticing.   But everything is a gift, a gift which many in refugee camps, or living in a war torn countries or one hit by a natural disaster don’t and can’t have in their lives. 

So, let’s be thankful for what we’ve got – our friends, our home, the warmth of a nice woolly hat on a cold day, the ease of switching on the kettle for a hot cuppa, a lovely warm shower. The Dalai Lama says “Today I am fortunate to have woken up.  I am alive, I have a precious human life.  I am not going to waste it.”  Let’s heed his words.