Welcome to Gratitude Watch.
Gratitude Watch is an eye on the internet for news, articles, videos, and other items, all focusing on the subject of gratitude.
For more on my intent on these postings, see About Gratitude Watch.
Hope your Christmas (again, for all you Christmas types out there) was thoroughly Christmas-ey.
So … let’s rock!
• This is The New Stuff •
Cathy Mott (who may or may not be YouTube user letterstomyfather …. can’t tell) gives us “Letters To My Father – Love and Gratitude,” a thoughtful and touching video by Mott, featuring the song “Thank you” by Ryan Huston.
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Sara Hicks Malone at Party Perfect gives us “Gratitude,” a quick but personal sharing of what helps her get perspective. (Hint — it has something to do with being alive.)
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Here’s a breath of fresh air (or a splash of cold water, depending) from Patrice Lewis at World Net Daily, calling it like she sees it: “A nation bursting with spoiled brats.” Whatever you think of her politics, she’s got a very good point here.
(The YouTube video linked to in this article has been taken down because of an NBC/Universal copyright claim — I posted it here on Dec. 2, so I remember it. It was a great little clip of American stand-up comedian-multiple-hyphenate Louis C.K. on Conan O’Brien doing a hilarious interview/ monologue pointing out that everything in our lives is amazing, and nobody is happy. The copyright issue is fair enough, I suppose, but it was both funny and meaningful commentary.)
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Rachel at We Are Beautiful offers “Gratitude for Weaknesses,” an insightful recognition that our strengths are to be found through our weaknesses, or the weaknesses of others.
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Erica Ryberg at ericaWRITER give us “My integrated spiritual system: Gratitude and Acceptance,” a well-crafted morning reflection on accepting and being grateful for what is, and what is not.
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Laurie A. Santos at Blog Talk Radio’s Extreme Dream Radio gives us “Abundance Is So Much More Than Money!” in which she notes the interplay of gratitude and abundance.
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Jami at Superfluous Miscellany (you don’t really believe that, do you Jami?) gives us “Guilt-tinged Gratitude.” In this she shares a touching and almost comical experience of being on the receiving end of a veritable avalanche of giving.
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Marjorie Anderson at The Edmond Sun gives us “Gratitude can get complicated,” a thorough and humorous examination of the dimensions and pitfalls of the act of expressing thanks.
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Gary Ryan Blair, guest contributor at Finer Minds, offers The Fine Art of Gratitude,” an excellent article that focuses on the need (and the benefits) of engaging in the practice of gratitude.
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Dr. Laura De Giorgio (YouTube user deeptrancenow) gives us “Power of Gratitude,” a slideshow with some Law-of-Attraction flavored content worth reviewing.
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And, once again, if you were looking for “Oldies but Goodies,” down here at the bottom of the page … sorry.
A Little Aside …
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When I had my 100 megawatt flashbulb moment many years ago about how important gratitude is for our minds, hearts, bodies, and living in general, I hadn’t made any connection between gratitude and Law of Attraction (LoA) thinking. Yet, in this semi-regular effort to winnow the gratitude-enriched wheat from the empty-calorie chaff (that metaphor was a bit labored, wasn’t it?) I am finding the lion’s share of material of substance about gratitude has some kind of LoA / manifestation connection or overtone.
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I have tried to keep an ear to more traditional religious viewpoints, and I have included a few of those — from Jewish and Islamic viewpoints as well as Christian ones. However, if the article or video seems to lean toward proselytizing the audience, I steer clear, because that’s not what this blog (or this person) is about.
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The reason I mention this is that, whatever your personal feelings about LoA or those who profess its validity, gratitude is a powerful force, and will serve you whether you are pursing a spiritual path or adhere to a religious belief or not.
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I contend that gratitude is truly ecumenical, and serves theists and atheists alike.
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(Boy … that was serious. I’ll try not to do that again.)
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Stay tuned for the next Gratitude Watch.
© 2008, by Daniel Brenton. All Rights Reserved.
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