“Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?”
Gratitude is a deeply spiritual virtue.
In a culture of competitive individualism,
I can easily lose sight of the others in my life.
Gratitude is the awareness and appreciation of the fact that I am not alone.
I can do things for myself but I still need others to complete and fulfill me.
Often, what others do for me is unbidden and undeserved,
reminding me that all is gift.
In a world where every man to himself is an acceptable norm of behavior,
gratitude makes me aware of our need for one another.
In being grateful, I am reminded and inspired to do good for and by others.
Gratitude, like love, starts with a deep realization,
made in silence and reflection,
of the goodness and love that others bring into my life.
But gratitude is not complete until it is expressed and made tangible
by a word, a gesture, or a smile.
Very much like love.