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Gratefulness
This short video meditation awakens us to the wonders of our world, reminds us about what truly matters, and invites us to notice the everyday gifts of our lives…
“So you think this is just another day in your life? It’s not just another day. It is the one day that is given to you…today.” ~ Br. David Steindl-Rast
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In 2006, Br. David recorded A Good Day, which has been watched well over 1 million times. We invite you to join us in celebrating this timeless message, now updated with beautiful, high-resolution video footage, making it suitable for sharing on large and small screens alike. To make the new video, we partnered with Gnarly Bay, creators of Stop. Look. Go, a stunning short film inspired by Br. David’s playfully simple grateful living practice.
In considering tools for living gratefully, we offer the following practices and questions to accompany and enrich your experience of our new video, A Grateful Day. We encourage you to watch the video, try these practices and reflect on the questions on your own, with family and friends or in a gratefulness group… See questions and practices…
In 2006, some friends arranged to have Br. David Steindl-Rast record a short meditation about gratefulness…the words that Br. David spontaneously offered that day were an exquisite outpouring of his heart. Read more…
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You think this is just
another day in your life?
It’s not just another day.
It’s the one day
that is given to you today.
It’s a gift.
It’s the only gift
that you have right now,
and the only
appropriate response
is gratefulness.
If you learn to respond
as if it were the first day
in your life
and the very last day,
then you will have spent
this day very well.
Begin by opening your eyes
and be surprised
that you have eyes you can open.
That incredible array of colors
that is constantly offered to us
for pure enjoyment.
Look at the sky.
We so rarely look at the sky.
We so rarely note
how different it is
from moment to moment
with clouds coming and going.
Open your eyes.
Look at that.
Look at the faces of people
whom you meet.
Each one has an incredible story
behind their face,
not only their own story,
but the story
of their ancestors.
All that life from generations
and from so many places
all over the world
flows together
and meets you here
like a life-giving water
if you only open your heart
and drink.
Open your heart
to the incredible gifts
that civilization gives to us.
You flip a switch,
and there is electric light.
You turn a faucet,
and there is warm water
and cold water,
and drinkable water.
It’s a gift that millions
and millions
in the world
will never experience.
And so I wish you
that you would open
your heart
to all these blessings
and let them flow through you,
that everyone
whom you will meet on this day
will be blessed by you,
just by your presence.
Let the gratefulness overflow
into blessing all around you.
And then it will really be
a good day.
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