Seanan has maintained a Gratitude practice for years now, shining a spotlight on the big and small things that make life tolerable, valuable, and meaningful. There are many ways to distill gratitude, and we hope that reading these will help spark your own gratitude.
I shall start the new year with a gig
Every breath, a new beginning
I am part of my sangha’s support group, which exists to bolster members in times of need
Courage to recognising where there is harm; the patience, perception, and determination to bring good change
Opening space within myself; the small astonishment at how this appears to happen with no effort on my part
Sitting in a circle, being with the feelings (mine and others’) for and about a member who died, and all of the ripples that widen from that stone
Here, there is love
The way paths cross and part and join again
The sharing of stories about those paths
Redemption, in this frail and fleeting life
Wounded healers and their heart-lit paths
All who take risks to offer apology, initiate restoration, help others, get through one more hour, and move themselves and/or others toward healing
The cleverness and depth of other species
Unsought benefits of practice
Bravery and wisdom, mustered to face fears
Exemplars everywhere, revealing paths to tread and to avoid