Tag Archives: gratitude

Essential Gratitude Repost

Essential Gratitude

Posted on August 10, 2025 by lynnjkelly

Because of our emphasis on individualism rather than community, gratitude is easily overlooked as an important element of a satisfying life.

A life without gratitude is a joyless life. If we don’t have anything to be grateful about, our life is a dreary plane. …

Many of us have had fortunate lives, but although we have been born in fortunate places we can tend to take a lot for granted. We have privileges and benefits, and a much better life than a good portion of people in the world can ever hope to expect. There’s a lot to be grateful for … (from https://dhammatalks.net/Books3/Ajahn_Sumedho_Gratitude_to_Parents.htm)

In addition, practicing gratitude is a direct cure for self-obsession. Are we ready to give up the idea that we are the most important person in the world? If we spend some time every day appreciating others in our lives, it loosens the chains of self-importance.

Within Buddhist thinking on virtue, there are things we ought to refrain from doing, and things we ought to deliberately do. We refrain from harming other sentient beings; we support the safety and growth of other lives. This training is the basis for Buddhist ethics and cannot be skipped over. As with generosity and gratitude, understanding them is insufficient as a foundation for practice. To grow in the Dhamma, we need to continuously nourish and strengthen these skillful qualities in ourselves.

Nouwen/Reeves Mash Up

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We are a composite of all the influences we accept. Through nature and nurture, we look at life through the filters we’ve inherited and acquired.

The work of two artists converges into a message and an earworm guiding me this morning.

The first is today’s meditation from Henri Nouwen on seeing truth, love and beauty in our everyday lives. The second is a Del Reeves song reminding us to appreciate what we have because we will lose it if we don’t take care of it. Together they remind me how fortunate I am.

Here’s hoping one or both offer something to you.

henrinouwen.org/meditation/

What We’re Looking for is Already Here

We discover that cleaning and cooking, writing letters and doing professional work, visiting people and caring for others, are not a series of random events that prevent us from realizing our deepest self. It is the right time, the real moment, the chance of our lives.

genius.com/Del-reeves-be-glad-lyrics

Be glad you’ve got what you’ve got when you’ve got it
Or you’re gonna find out what you’ve got is gone

Take care what you do when you do if you do it
If you don’t you won’t have your baby long

Everybody envies you, you lucky so and so
You should thank your lucky stars above

You’d better treat her better you’d better start right now
She deserves the best that you can do
She does everything for you the best that she knows how
That’s the least she can expect from you

August 17 – Greatest Comedy of All Time?

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On August 17, 1979, Monty Python’s Life of Brian premiered in US theatres. This controversial film was initially banned in many countries but went on to be ranked as one of, if not #1 of the greatest comedies of all time. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python’s_Life_of_Brian

Considered both a religious farce and political satire, the film ends with Brian’s crucifixion and the group song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” One verse has been touted as the fundamental view of the film, which is:

For life is quite absurd
And death’s the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin – give the audience a grin
Enjoy it, it’s your last chance anyhow.

Hmmm, are religion and humor compatible?

Here is today’s haiku: Greatest Comedy of All Time

Breathing in I smile

breathing out I smile as well

grateful for my life

I would love to hear your comments on this film, on this topic, on your reaction to this post. _/\_

Life Matters

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