I first heard the notion put plainly by Dennis Prager. Lack of gratitude is the best guarantee you can give yourself that you'll be unhappy. And the obvious corollary of this idea is that simple gratitude is the closest thing we have to a guarantee of happiness.
It's a notion so simple that it should surprise no one. But I think, even worse than being surprised by the idea, a large portion of the populace would have a hard time believing it.
I don't pretend to have an unfailing handle on the idea of gratitude-at-every-possible turn. But I do think about the notion. And I try to follow through.
Simple things like carrying a little camera around and capturing the photos above and below make me see--and be grateful for--what nature brings us.
On the writing front, I'm grateful when the words seem to work, when the story makes sense and has impact. Is it the same as having a best-seller? Of course not. But it's still and achievement worth noting. And enjoying.
It's also an interesting consideration for anyone working on characters for a story. How do these people approach the world? Is ingratitude and misery their automatic approach? Or do they find meaning in the little gifts?
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