In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.

David Steindl-Rast

This is the challenge of our time, isn’t it? In the midst of this year-long pandemic – when we continue to be deprived of so much, when we are frustrated, anxious, and exhausted – we are challenged to rediscover gratefulness. And by re-discovering gratefulness, we can find ourselves happy, and blessed, even in the midst of our challenges. The pandemic will be over one day, but why wait? We can be grateful today. Every day, after all, is a day given to us by God, a day we can spend with God, and so a day to give thanks to God. A day to be grateful – not as a shortcut to to happiness, not even in order to be happy, but simply because there is so very much to be grateful for in this life. And when we do this, when we take the time to be grateful for our many blessings, we often will find ourselves happy and blessed.

David Steindl-Rast has recorded a stunning video, which is available on YouTube here: A Grateful Day with Brother David Steindl-Rast. This video is a beautiful, meaningful meditation on gratefulness. Watching this 5-minute video would be a wonderful way to begin your day.

“So you think this is just another day in your life? It’s not just another day. It is the one day that is given to you…today.”

David Steindl-Rast