When I look around my house, there are so many things I’m grateful for. When I meet friends and family, I appreciate their love, sacrifice, and care for me. This can be done verbally and through action. But while doing some reading, I was surprised by a new perspective by Dr. Feldstein, a Stanford Chaplain:
“Gratitude is not just something we have, it can also be something we are…Rather than simply knowing the feeling of gratitude, I can be the expression of gratitude that I am inside and share it with others as a way of being. In doing so, we can be a healing force for ourselves, those around us, and the world.”
“Gratitude is not just something we have, it can also be something we are.”
-Dr. Feldstein
Because we are socialized to solve problems on our own, we usually reserve help until we are desperate. Feeling a tsunami of relief might be the primary feeling over gratitude. Additionally, we might save our deep gratitude for formal celebrations like Teacher, Veteran, and Parent Appreciation Days. Outside of reminders and displays of thanks, how can we practice gratitude as something we “are” ?
“Reflection is an antidote to busyness. When we are busy, we typically don’t notice the wonderful things in our lives…” says Dr. Feldstein. “Some people say they don’t have time to stop and reflect, but it’s not about time. It’s about having a readiness to notice with appreciation and gratitude what is going on in the midst of our activity.”
“It’s about having a readiness to notice with appreciation and gratitude what is going on in the midst of our activity.”
Noon Mul 
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