grAttitude

Good to be reminded of theimportance of gratitude and this practical article encourages us to cultivate it. There is much truth in the observation that gratitude fundamentally changes our outlook and has a knock-on effect into the rest of our life.



The artilce states: "Gratitude can never be solicited. It can only be freely given." and this is true. The parent's demand of the child to 'say thank you' often produces a grumpy verbally correct reply which is evidently not heart-felt and so not really an expression of thanks.



However, I did wonder whether there is a contradiction, or at best a paradox in this article and, indeed in exhortations to give thanks: it runs the risk of reproducing that child's response; an un-heart-felt appearance of gratitude. So perhaps it is that the third suggestion in this is sometimes the most important: "consider what you possess rather than what you lack. ". The childs formalisitc response is still driven by the fundamental focus on what they do not have or have been denied. The way out of the impasse of being albe to freely give thanks to order is probably to cultivate the habit of focusing on what we have or what there is that is good and on noticing our appreciation for those things and giving them expression. This creates a habit of mind which begins to be more aware of what there is to appreciate.



I think too that doing so makes us less prey to the blandishments of marketting and less controlled by the consumerist agenda. Gratitude is an act of resistance in a society intent on stirring up discontent in order to monetarise it by transforming discontent into desire for objects or services that are portrayed as fulfilling in themselves.



Eucharist, ='thanksgiving, is the central act of Christian corporate worship. It is also potentially life changing individually as we seek to make it a central feature of our thought life and so to shift our attitudes and perspectives.



The only quibble I really have with this article is that it doesn't note how 'hallowed be your name' in the Lord's prayer implicitly carries a payload of thanksgiving. God's name is hallowed as we recall God's blessings in common and saving grace.