A Network for Grateful Living - Everyday Gratitude

Title Page

Edited by Saoirse McClory, Kristi Nelson, and Margaret Wakeley A Network for Grateful Living

inspiration for living life as a gift

Copyright

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Edited by Deborah Balmuth and Michal Lumsden

Book design and lettering by Alethea Morrison

Watercolors and cover illustration Katie Eberts, with additional watercolors by Clikchic Designs

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2018 by A Network for Grateful Living

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Dedication

Contents

Dedicated to the transformative power of living gratefully

Foreword

foreword by brother david steindl-rast

Many of us have heard Benjamin Franklins advice: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

But, lets face it; no matter our gender, age, or most any other con- sideration, early rising does not enjoy widespread popularity, regardless of the promises attached to it. And for some of us any hour of rising seems early too early. In more than years of living by the monastic schedule, I ought to have gotten used to early rising. You would think so; but no! And Im not the only one. One novice had already written and published a book about monastic life before he came to actually try liv- ing as a monk. The first morning after his arrival, when the excitator (a fancy name for the monk who wakes the others up) knocked on his door and called in Latin, Benedicamus Domino! (Let us bless the Lord!) the novice was supposed to answer cheerfully, Deo Gratias! (Thanks be to God!) Instead a muffled voice came from his bed: This is a dogs life!

The early bird may catch the worm, but most of us would prefer a more substantial breakfast, and definitely later. And yet, the way that blackbird leisurely hops through the dew-fresh grass when morning

has broken stands in sharp contrast to the rush typical for most peo- ples mornings. This is where Everyday Gratitude comes in, offering you a word of inspiration and a provocative question to start your day. No! No! I hear you shout: I cant squeeze one more thing into the rush and scramble of my morning. But please, do give it a try! It takes less than a minute to read one of the quotes in this book and begin mulling over the accompanying question. That brief break may well transform your day.

This opportunity may even be worth making your alarm ring one minute earlier. And if you make it a habit to start the day with a pas- sage from this delightful collection, grateful living will soon make you sing praise for the morning. No matter how early or late you go to bed and rise, grateful living will make you healthy and wealthy and wise healthy, through living in tune with the world; wealthy, because the grateful heart lacks nothing; and wise, because wisdom ripens as the most exquisite fruit in the garden of everyday gratitude.

Gut Aich Monastery, Austria

Summer 2017

Introduction

introduction by kristi nelson

Executive Director, A Network for Grateful Living

In daily life, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy.

brother david steindl-rast

All of the worlds great wisdom traditions teach us that life is precious and that what is happening right now IS life, not some future destina- tion, time, or state of mind. Carpe diem, they say, implying that we must take none of this moment, and its opportunities, for granted. One way to do this is to live gratefully, with gratitude as the lens for our daily experiences. When were able to do this, we notice what is already pres- ent, plenty, and abundant in our lives, from the tiniest things of beauty to the grandest of our blessings.

Even in the most challenging times, living gratefully makes us aware of, and available to, opportunities to learn and grow and to extend our- selves with care and compassion. We can see that life itself is a gift and

that small, grateful acts every day can uplift us, make a difference for others, and help change the world. What we call gratefulness arises when we are connected to the great-fullness and privileges of our lives.

Approaching each day with a lens of gratitude, however, does not happen overnight. Gratefulness is nourished in small doses, through daily reminders, reflections, affirmations, and practices. It deepens with repetition and expands with support.

This book offers a collection of quotes, corresponding questions, and simple practices to uplift gratefulness and values such as compassion, kindness, interconnection, sufficiency, and love. Each quote, question, and practice also reflects at least one step on the path to grateful living: