Close
Close

Receive “Word for the Day” each day in your inbox

See our Privacy Policy

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Menu Gratefulness Donate

Gratitude Lounge

Welcome! We are glad you are here. This is an open space where everyone belongs, and everyone is welcome. Please introduce yourself as you feel comfortable and join in sharing your experience of grateful living. To get started you might reflect upon questions such as these: What am I grateful for? What is grateful living inspiring me to do? What are some blessings in my life (including ones in disguise)? How am I being supported right now? What connects me to wonder, awe, or a sense of the sacred? You are welcome to include images and links for videos to illustrate your reflections.

  • Rabbit

    • Mica

      Thank you, Rabbit – that’s one of the songs we sang when we marched to try to prevent the invasion of Iraq 🙂 😐 🙁 ?

    • Holly in Ohio

      Thank you, Rabbit for the music. Thank you also for the recommendation of Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies. I think I will try to find it at the library! 😃

  • Holly in Ohio

    Dragonfly’s reflection in the Daily Question for today is quite lovely, and reminded me of this song:

  • Yram

    I had a moment about a month ago! I was coming home an unfamiliar way. I came to a four way stop and the cars were not moving. My first thought was panic! What happened! And what happened was a respectful wait for a doe and her fawn to cross the road. What a moment of peace and awe.

  • Drew Blanton

    I was in a play about cars this past Tuesday at Thrive Upstate. I played Chris the Cadillac.

    • Yram

      Congrats! That is awesome!

    • Holly in Ohio

      Nice! I wish I could have been there to watch!

    • Mica

      That’s wonderful, Drew! I went to a pet parade today 🐕🐩🐕🐩🐍😺🐦lots of dogs, 1 snake, 1 cat, 1 bird – and my granddaughter played in the band 🙂

  • Mike S

    These words from Adyashanti:

    What is the point of a beautiful sunrise if you are asleep?What is the beauty of a rose if you are asleep? Mind is your sleep.Meditation is your awakening.The moment you awake, sleep disappears and with it all the dreams,all the projections, all expectations, all desires.Suddenly you are in a state of desirelessness, non-ambition, unfathomable silence.And only in this silence, blossoms flower in your being.Only in this silence the lotuses open their petals…

    • Mary

      “Mind is your sleep. Meditation is your awakening…”
      This is so beautiful Mike, and very helpful. Thank you.
      Mary

    • Mica

      Thank you, Mike! 🙂

    • Holly in Ohio
      You reminded me of something magical I saw last night, purely by chance. I could tell the sunset was setting up to be special, but we were in a hurry. Normally on Fridays we have a dinner guest, but we also needed to show up for a neighbor's birthday celebration, so I took our dinner guest home in our car, but the sun was just very bright and low, but not yet spectacular with color. As our disabled friend got out of the car, I suddenly remembered that I told him I had a bag of homegrown vegetabl...

      You reminded me of something magical I saw last night, purely by chance. I could tell the sunset was setting up to be special, but we were in a hurry. Normally on Fridays we have a dinner guest, but we also needed to show up for a neighbor’s birthday celebration, so I took our dinner guest home in our car, but the sun was just very bright and low, but not yet spectacular with color. As our disabled friend got out of the car, I suddenly remembered that I told him I had a bag of homegrown vegetables for him, but we had forgotten it at the house. I told him I would get it, and he decided to wait on the bench outside his building until I returned. I dashed home, grabbed the bag of vegetables, and I was driving west again on the road, the sun, now red, was aligned PERFECTLY with the road, and there was a long, shining, molten, RED streak of light all along down the road for several blocks, and not a car on it. I stopped at a red light. Enjoying those seconds of time. It was like that was there just for me to enjoy. I didn’t have my phone on me, couldn’t take a photo… it was just a special moment in time for something unimaginably beautiful. And then the light changed, Lol… and the moment escaped. Such a metaphor for life and being present to the preciousness of every unique moment in our individual experience.

      Read More
  • Holly in Ohio
    Good morning! As I mentioned below, I have been thinking about all the reference librarians I've known, in gratitude, from Mrs. Owens who would read to us when we were children, and who seemed to know and remember every children's book ever known (her superpower), to the two ladies at the college, whom I would challenge with a question for a paper, and who would hysterically race with eachother to get the answers for me, to the young men at our library who would design crossword puzzles for t...

    Good morning!

    As I mentioned below, I have been thinking about all the reference librarians I’ve known, in gratitude, from Mrs. Owens who would read to us when we were children, and who seemed to know and remember every children’s book ever known (her superpower), to the two ladies at the college, whom I would challenge with a question for a paper, and who would hysterically race with eachother to get the answers for me, to the young men at our library who would design crossword puzzles for the patrons, and who provided a comfortable and safe, bully-free zone for my kids to be after school while they were still learning to fit in, to all the reference librarians out there, you truly are special people and I am in awe of all that you do, that rarely gets appreciated. Thank you.

    Here is another beautiful maple leaf. Maple trees are one of my favorite trees. They are so spectacular in color in the fall, but I also love watching their leaves unfold in the spring… so very like watching butterflies come out of chrysalis! When maple trees are harvested, they have lovely, lovely, wood… perhaps my favorite for furniture, particularly, “birds eye” or “tiger eye” if it can be found anymore, and then, as if that were not enough… maple trees produce maple syrup! 😛🤗 What’s not to love about these beautiful trees?

    Read More
    • Palm

      Thank you for this lovely post and image, Holly, I didn’t have an option to reply about librarians below, so I am glad you added the stories, libraries are like a refuge and I am glad your kids had a safe place

    • Rabbit

      Yes indeed for librarians and maple leaves. I grew up with silver maples in front of our house.

      Our library is small but mighty. They do all things book but also treat us like family which is especially meaningful since pretty much none here. When my husband was first diagnosed with prostate cancer, they cried with us and tried to get us lots of information. They have a fantastic kids program too. We are just big kids.

  • Mike S

    This is my extended family including sister, her husband and adult boys as well as my two grown boys and their wives plus others. Taken and Woods Hole Massachusetts several years ago.

  • Holly in Ohio
    Today I am thankful that my efforts to help my cat to feel better seems to be working, and I will continue to make more efforts and get him back to a vet. But right now he seems to be gaining weight (which he needed) and he is getting more energy, and today I bought him FOUR hair brushes and tried them out on him to see what he likes and which help with the mats. He likes the brush I found in the baby aisle best. It has Cookie Monster on it. He's arthritic and quit grooming himself a few months ...

    Today I am thankful that my efforts to help my cat to feel better seems to be working, and I will continue to make more efforts and get him back to a vet. But right now he seems to be gaining weight (which he needed) and he is getting more energy, and today I bought him FOUR hair brushes and tried them out on him to see what he likes and which help with the mats. He likes the brush I found in the baby aisle best. It has Cookie Monster on it. He’s arthritic and quit grooming himself a few months ago and his fur has been getting matted. After trying to comb them out I decided I needed to research it better and learn why it is happening and how to help him. It is something that some older cats do. He seems to like the brushing and it will take time to work out the mats which are very sensitive, but he is more comfortable now that I am giving it daily attention. If this doesn’t work then we will track down a professional groomer… not really in our budget but it is for his comfort and we have a responsibility to our animals.

    This is a photo I took on my walk the other day. The leaves were no where in sight, but they left a lovely memory. Have a lovely day, my friends! ❤

    Read More
    • Anna

      I love this photo Holly.
      I hope the best for your dear cat.

    • Palm
      Hi Holly, thanks for the lovely image. I hope your cat gets better, it is a worry when they are not well, and talking about worry, I will reply to your message about letting go of overthinking here. Yes, easier said than done, especially when going through difficult times... I like your image about taming wild horses, they say that accepting negative thoughts and sadness instead of going against them makes it easier to let them go. The other difficult part is to remember all of these things when...

      Hi Holly, thanks for the lovely image. I hope your cat gets better, it is a worry when they are not well, and talking about worry, I will reply to your message about letting go of overthinking here. Yes, easier said than done, especially when going through difficult times… I like your image about taming wild horses, they say that accepting negative thoughts and sadness instead of going against them makes it easier to let them go. The other difficult part is to remember all of these things when we are in the middle of it but, as you say, it takes practice. Eckart Tolle also recommends practising being in the present moment when times are easy, or for example, while waiting in a queue, so that “the muscle” is ready when the difficult times arrive 🙏💪

      Read More
      • Holly in Ohio
        That sounds like wonderful advice! I'm going to try that. I know something I learned to do when I had racing thoughts.... it's funny to me even typing that now as I can't say when they went away... but I had some pre-chosen distractions for then, like puzzles. The puzzles occupied part of my mind enough, that the worrying part would sort of go to sleep or on standby or something. It is hard to worry while you are working out a logic problem, or playing Sudoku or solitaire. As you can see, I stil...

        That sounds like wonderful advice! I’m going to try that. I know something I learned to do when I had racing thoughts…. it’s funny to me even typing that now as I can’t say when they went away… but I had some pre-chosen distractions for then, like puzzles. The puzzles occupied part of my mind enough, that the worrying part would sort of go to sleep or on standby or something. It is hard to worry while you are working out a logic problem, or playing Sudoku or solitaire. As you can see, I still do puzzles, now, but just for fun. 🙂
        I hope you can sleep well tonight, Palm.

        Read More
        • Palm

          P.s. yes, I saw your crossword, and was impressed too 😀

          • Holly in Ohio
            The free website generates them for you. All you have to do to make them is to write the word you want in the crossword, and then your clue. A lot of times the clue is just something you can find in the dictionary, but you can also change it. So all you have to do is write the list of words with clues and then press the button! I learned about these crossword generators from a reference librarian, who was making one crossword a week and printing them out for patrons of the library. Usually the...

            The free website generates them for you. All you have to do to make them is to write the word you want in the crossword, and then your clue. A lot of times the clue is just something you can find in the dictionary, but you can also change it. So all you have to do is write the list of words with clues and then press the button! I learned about these crossword generators from a reference librarian, who was making one crossword a week and printing them out for patrons of the library. Usually they were based on the library theme for the week, say, gardening or airplanes or Black History month, but sometimes they did kookier ones like oh… Legos or Star Wars or something like that. I was thinking while making this crossword how thankful I am to the many reference librarians I have known, and how they all seemed to have superpowers! 🤩📚

            Read More
        • Palm

          Pre-chosen distractions sound like a great tip too, I am glad your racing thoughts went away. I will think about some options for me because the first thing I tend to do is to go on my phone.
          I had a restful night, thanks Holly, I hope you have a beautiful day.

    • Mica
      Fun picture, Holly - thanks! It reminds me of seeing raccoon paw prints in the dust on my car, on rare occasions :) Regarding cat grooming - Rudy has vast masses of fur and also always some matted bits. I put a comb between his skin and the hair mats and then cut off the hair mats - with my kitchen shears, because his fur is so thick - but I suppose my other sharp scissors would work too. A comb with long tines [or whatever they're called] would be best. Amazingly, I can't find his comb on the ...

      Fun picture, Holly – thanks! It reminds me of seeing raccoon paw prints in the dust on my car, on rare occasions 🙂
      Regarding cat grooming – Rudy has vast masses of fur and also always some matted bits. I put a comb between his skin and the hair mats and then cut off the hair mats – with my kitchen shears, because his fur is so thick – but I suppose my other sharp scissors would work too. A comb with long tines [or whatever they’re called] would be best. Amazingly, I can’t find his comb on the internet – he’s only 8 yrs old – the comb can’t be an antique yet 😐 – that’s what the vet told me to do – the comb to protect his skin and the scissors – after cutting off the mats that were easiest to reach. Good luck! 😺😸😹😻😼😽🙀😿😾🐱🐈

      Read More
      • Holly in Ohio
        Interesting! I was tempted to cut off the mats but the veternary blog I read said not to... so I guess vets don't always agree with eachother on this. I will try brushing for a while first and see if I make progress. I can always try your trick with the comb if I don't make progress. I'm sorry Rudy has this problem, too. Those mats can be quite uncomfortable for them. It is good seeing my cat happy again. I brushed him again with the baby brush after dinner and he was doing what I call, "the hap...

        Interesting! I was tempted to cut off the mats but the veternary blog I read said not to… so I guess vets don’t always agree with eachother on this. I will try brushing for a while first and see if I make progress. I can always try your trick with the comb if I don’t make progress. I’m sorry Rudy has this problem, too. Those mats can be quite uncomfortable for them. It is good seeing my cat happy again. I brushed him again with the baby brush after dinner and he was doing what I call, “the happy tail,” when he makes his tail move in a slow S. 😊🐈

        I L🤍VE your description of the raccoon pawprints on your car! 🦝

        Read More
  • Mike S
    Four years I used to read from a book called the Tao Te Ching, wish is a compendium of Taoist sayings. Just this morning I discovered a Tao app and loaded it on my iPhone. When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other. ...

    Four years I used to read from a book called the Tao Te Ching, wish is a compendium of Taoist sayings. Just this morning I discovered a Tao app and loaded it on my iPhone.

    When people see some things as beautiful,
    other things become ugly.
    When people see some things as good,
    other things become bad.

    Being and non-being create each other.
    Difficult and easy support each other.
    Long and short define each other.
    High and low depend on each other.
    Before and after follow each other.

    Therefore the Master
    acts without doing anything
    and teaches without saying anything.
    Things arise and she lets them come;
    things disappear and she lets them go.
    She has but doesn’t possess,
    acts but doesn’t expect.
    When her work is done, she forgets it.
    That is why it lasts forever.

    Read More
    • Mica

      That’s the source of today’s quote, Mike – Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching – 🙂
      Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

      LAO TZU

    • Yram

      This seems like perfect words to describe BEING in the moment. Thank you for sharing!

    • Palm

      Thanks Mike. The language seems intriguing, yet somehow understandable. It reminded me of non-dual thinking.
      Lovely smiles in your photo below

  • Mike S

    Extended family photo from several years ago when we were at my sisters place in Cape Cod.

  • Rabbit

    Here is the website for my puzzle app on my iPad: https://www.kristanix.com/jigsawpuzzleepic/

    • Holly in Ohio

      Thank you, Rabbit!
      Now hopefully this will work. I created a crossword called Words for the Day and if I did it right, everyone can find it here: https://crosswordlabs.com/view/words-for-the-day

      I tried to make the words related to gratefulness.org in some way. 😄

  • Holly in Ohio

    Sometimes, when I’m sleepy like this morning, I try to wake up with ‘coffee and ideas.’ One of my favorite places to get ideas is on Pinterest. This quote came up in my feed this morning and it spoke to me:

    • Palm

      Great quote, it speaks to me too. ‘Coffee and ideas’ 😁 I bet it makes it easier to bring them from dream to reality

  • Holly in Ohio

    I may or may not walk today. It is a grey day… I kind of like grey days, too. I’m sniffling a bit and just waking up, so we will see. Fortunately I took several photos yesterday. The color of this leaf was quite surprising to me. It is not red as maple leaves often become, but sort of a salmon pink!

    • Mica

      Our liquid amber or sweetgum trees are a main type that changes color here. Your posts are making me curious to notice what colors their leaves change this fall. I think all the ginkgo trees only turn yellow. [GinkGo – funny – I hadn’t noticed that before 🙂 ] Thank you again, Holly 🙂

      • Holly in Ohio

        We have ginko trees here, too. One year the city decided to line the streets downtown with ginko trees, and yes, the leaves turn yellow, but the fans are pretty!

        My phone’s camera puts a slight blue cast on everything, like a filter… so sometimes I don’t care for the color shift, but I haven’t looked to see how I might turn it off.

  • Mike S

    Anybody else hear a fan of Star Trek? I have watched pretty much all the different series and I’m now watching Deep Dpace Nine.

  • Mary
    Happy prayer Tuesday! Wishing every one joy in your day. A favorite quote of mine has been brought up many times in the gratitude lounge. But I love it so much that I’d like to bring it up again. It is by Julian of Norwich, a Christian mystic born in the 14th century. Her story is quite amazing but I will just quote her today.“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian of Norwich For an over thinker like myself, these words quiet and soothe my...

    Happy prayer Tuesday! Wishing every one joy in your day. A favorite quote of mine has been brought up many times in the gratitude lounge. But I love it so much that I’d like to bring it up again. It is by Julian of Norwich, a Christian mystic born in the 14th century. Her story is quite amazing but I will just quote her today.“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian of Norwich

    For an over thinker like myself, these words quiet and soothe my busy mind.
    May all find peace, joy , and contentment in your day.
    Much love,
    Mary

    Read More
    • Palm

      A favourite quote for an overthinker here too 😁. Thank you, Mary ❤️

      • Mary

        Hi Palm! I think a lot of us are over thinkers.
        Over thinkers unite!! Let’s rebel against over thinking!!
        But seriously, I think it’s time for me to start a meditation practice.
        My busy mind needs a break. 🥰
        Sending my love Palm!♥️
        Mary

        • Palm

          😂😂❤️
          Palm

          • Holly in Ohio
            I'm replying to your message below about over-thinking, where you said, "After listening to Eckart Tolle, I think the trick is to use thinking as a practical tool when it’s necessary, for example, to resolve something, and drop it when it becomes useless and repetitive…" Yes, I think that sounds very reasonable, though perhaps easier said than done. It doesn't discourage me from trying, though! I look at many things (optimism, for example), as something requiring practice, and through pra...

            I’m replying to your message below about over-thinking, where you said, “After listening to Eckart Tolle, I think the trick is to use thinking as a practical tool when it’s necessary, for example, to resolve something, and drop it when it becomes useless and repetitive…”

            Yes, I think that sounds very reasonable, though perhaps easier said than done. It doesn’t discourage me from trying, though! I look at many things (optimism, for example), as something requiring practice, and through practice to get better at it, and much like we can’t exercise once and have muscles and be fit for a lifetime, or play an instrument once and be concert-ready instantly… I expect thinking to require practice to become good at letting the positive and creative thoughts flow and to be able to let go of anxiety and self-criticism and other unhelpful thinking.

            I remember what my thoughts and sleep were like after some trauma, now water under the bridge long ago… but thoughts I remember, were very uncomfortable for a while, so I started trying to visualize it as taming wild horses. It takes a lot of patience, and you have to meet the disagreeableness with gentleness. Dealing with anxiety, anger, dispair, and self-judgement is like that. 🐎🐎🐎

            Read More
          • Holly in Ohio

            I’m thinking about being an over-thinker, and I think maybe it is okay, but then again, maybe not….? What do you think? 🤪🙃

    • Mica

      Yes, indeed, Mary – a lovely Julian of Norwich quote – thanks for the reminder 🙂
      It’s a good one for me today, after a night of poor sleep

    • Rabbit

      Oh Mary, I can’t count the number of times people have called me an overthinker. I like the quote too.

      • Mary

        ♥️

      • Mary

        🤔🤔 So much to think about! So little time. 😂

        • Holly in Ohio

          Exactly! 😄

          • Palm

            Lol Holly 😁 I am replying to your message above. I have wondered the same thing: maybe overthinking is ok, although it seems that the word implies “too much”…
            After listening to Eckart Tolle, I think the trick is to use thinking as a practical tool when it’s necessary, for example, to resolve something, and drop it when it becomes useless and repetitive… what do you think?

          • Mary

            😂😂😂

    • Anna

      Thank you Mary, that is the same for me, when I read or hear Julian of Norwich’s quote.

      • Palm

        Anna, I remember writing this quote when answering the question of the day for the first time on this site, and then I got a reply from you saying you liked it too. It made me feel welcome and excited to share 😊

      • Mary

        Anna ♥️

  • Holly in Ohio

    Warm wishes on prayer Tuesday/healing day.
    I found several lovely things on my walk today. The soft rain had just let up. This is the first thing I saw. Feathers often symbolize protection, love, the presence of guardian angels, the wind, your creator, and even your connection to your god. I captured this photo for all of you, here, and wish you a blessed day. ❤

    • Rabbit

      Lovely. Like the drops on it too. Looks like it was still pretty dark out. Any idea what the bird might be? Do you have gulls around you?

      • Holly in Ohio

        That is the underside of the feather. On the other side there was the slightest pale blue at the tip. We have a lot of Blue Jays here so I’m wondering if it was from one of them. We do get gulls sometimes, because we’re only 13 miles from Lake Erie, but gulls generally just land in parking lots or newly turned farm fields.

    • Anna

      Thank you Holly!

    • Mary

      Thank you Holly! That is beautiful!

  • Mica

    Warm wishes for your Prayer Tuesday, dear friends 🙂
    Here’s a cool prayer quote by a Dutch woman who was active in good causes during WWII:
    “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” – Corrie ten Boom

  • Holly in Ohio
    Good morning, friends! I am waiting for a little break in the rain so I can go for a walk. The season is changing here and the nights are cool, but the maple trees are still green. Soon, though, they will be changing to lovely autumn colors and I will need to bring in my orange and lemon trees. My little fall garden is coming along, and soon I will have fresh lettuce and peas. I am trying to figure out how to balance my life and put into it what I need for self-care and enjoyment of days. Thou...

    Good morning, friends!
    I am waiting for a little break in the rain so I can go for a walk. The season is changing here and the nights are cool, but the maple trees are still green. Soon, though, they will be changing to lovely autumn colors and I will need to bring in my orange and lemon trees. My little fall garden is coming along, and soon I will have fresh lettuce and peas.
    I am trying to figure out how to balance my life and put into it what I need for self-care and enjoyment of days. Though I still have so much more to learn about how I interface with the world around me to find joy, I have figured out some things. I know that some of these little wisdoms I find are universal, and some are personal. Living gratefully is universal. Finding reasons to get up in the morning is universal. My self care needs are not universal, but intertwined with who I am. For me, I am happiest when I can look at each day and feel like I contributed. Sometimes it is in a small circle, just my household, and sometimes it is wider, even to strangers. Sometimes that contribution is as simple as love. I also need for myself human connection and an outlet for expression or creativity that is positive, and a few other things to feel content. It is interesting to me that whether joy is a universal find or a personal one, that I have so much to do with whether it is found… or not.

    Love to all of you. ❤🦋 I am off for my walk, now.

    Read More
    • Mary

      I am still trying to find balance Holly. And purpose. And how I want to live my life. Since retiring I have more freedom. I would like to use my time well. I think the most important thing for me is to hold it lightly. It’s not a contest. Letting go is a big part for me.

    • Rabbit

      Please tell us what is beautiful or amazing on your walk. I like to notice the clouds too.

      • Mary

        The clouds and the blue sky amaze me every day. Except when completely gray, the sky is my favorite wonder in nature!
        Water too, though! And flowers! And trees! Well, it is hard to narrow it down to one favorite! But I do love the sky, like a fresh painting everyday. God’s art.

    • Mica

      [We] have so much to do with whether or not [joy] is found – thank you, Holly, for your wise statement and warm wishes to you! 🙂

  • Mary

    Beautiful video below, lasvistasjeanne, of passersby seeing the moon close up through a telescope. What a joy!

  • Rabbit

    Maybe we could have a virtual art show this winter. You know quilts and things like your mandala.

This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A.

DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png

© 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living

Website by Briteweb

0

Your Cart