the only prayer you say in your life is “Thank You,” that would suffice.
—Meister Eckhart
10.
Silent gratitude isn’t much good to anyone.
—Gertrude Stein
11.
Charity never humiliated him who profited from it, nor ever bound him by the chains of gratitude, since it was not to him but to God that the gift was made.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
12.
Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.
—Henry Van Dyke
13.
Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.
—Jean Baptiste Alphonse Karr
14.
They do not love that do not show their love.
—William Shakespeare
Let Your Love Shine
Following are some ideas for you to consider during this month that celebrate love. As you know, this isn’t all about romance, but everyone who touches your heart and is deserving of a shout out: relatives, coworkers, neighbors, good friends, your children, and even strangers offering random acts of kindness. As they say, love is what makes the world go ‘round.
I Just Called To Say I Love You
Call your parents (or whoever raised you) and thank them for everything they did for you!
Service men and women are doing just that, SERVICE. And they should be thanked for it. Many of these noble souls are very far away and receive little mail to their camp or barrack. Take a few moments to acknowledge their contribution and offer a friendly hello from back home in the USA. You can learn all about Operation Write Home at www.operationwritehome.gov. I have heard of great pen pal relationships come out of this gesture of gratitude, too.
Love Notes
Leave encouraging, inspiring, or funny notes/quotes in a library book or other random places (without littering or defiling public property). A simple note stapled to a bulletin board, taped to a column, or written in chalk on the sidewalk may influence in wonderful ways—plus, you’ll be like a secret agent, bringing happiness to others. This website has fun examples that might give you an idea: www.artofgettingstarted.com
Valentine’s Day
It’s that sometimes-anticipated-by-couples-yet-often-dreaded-by-singles day of the year! In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, send an anonymous letter or bouquet of flowers to someone special to you—your mom, your recently divorced best friend. This deliberate act of kindness will last long after the 14th as the memory lingers on.
Offer to watch a friend or neighbor’s children so they can run errands or spend time with their significant other. A really nice thing to do the night before Valentine’s Day, by the way.
15.
The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.
—Bono
16.
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
—Epictetus
17.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
—Aesop
18.
Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.
—Albert Schweitzer
19.
Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
20.
If you have lived, take thankfully the past.
—John Dryden
21.
Gratitude is the moral memory of mankind.
—Georg Simmel
22.
To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.
—Samuel Johnson
23.
When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
—G. K. Chesterton
How Thank You Notes Can Change the World
Write a note of gratitude, a “mindful memo,” to the people in your everyday life who make a difference—the mailman, a grocery clerk, or the greeter at the mall. Tell your friends about their places of business or their great service so their businesses can grow. Just by paying attention to those people in your everyday life, who can so easily go unnoticed (especially if your smartphone is glued to your hand), you can enrich each other’s lives a little each day.
24.
When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them.
—Chinese Proverb
25.
The mere habit of learning to love is the thing.
—Jane Austen
26.
For one man who thanks God that he is not as other men there are a thousand to offer thanks that they are as other men, sufficiently as others are to escape attention.
—John Dewey
27.
Gratitude is one of the least articulate of the emotions, especially when it is deep.
—Felix Frankfurter
28.
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