Gratitude is Everything

I don't know whether it's true or not, but I read somewhere recently that the pilgrims who established our Thanksgiving tradition first discussed whether it should be a day of mourning, a day to remember those who had died during the year. Only 50 of the original 110 pilgrims had survived the previous harsh winter, so it would have been understandable if they had chosen to focus on all they had lost. But instead they chose to focus on what they had. I wonder if their attitude had anything to do with their own ability to thrive.

Reflecting on the connection between my own emotional states and responding physical condition, it is easy to see how an attitude of gratitude could make a big difference. When I feel stressed or tense, my neck and shoulders get tight. When I'm nervous or fearful, my stomach is in knots and it's hard to get a good breath. But when I feel grateful, my heart opens, my shoulders relax, and I breathe deeply and easily, connecting to the best that is within me and others.

Today I am grateful for so many things, and maybe gratitude itself most of all. What are you grateful for?