Today, September 21st, is World Gratitude Day. I admit that I had never head of that until I saw it online today, but I feel like it’s something good to celebrate with a special day. Then when I looked up more about World Gratitude Day to find out why we have this day, I was surprised about how it came to be.
It seems that in 1965 some world leaders were having a Thanksgiving dinner in the meditation room of the United Nations building. Sri Chinmoy, an Indian spiritual leader and meditation teacher, suggested a day of gratitude that the whole world could celebrate together. That sounded like a great idea to the members present and each of them decided to hold a gratitude gathering each year in their country on September 21.
It wasn’t until 1977 that a resolution was requested to give recognition for World Gratitude Day. That was done at the New York UN Headquarters during a ceremony that honored Sri Chinmoy for his work. Since then, World Gratitude Day has been observed worldwide.
So, what is gratitude?
Gratitude is the awareness and expression of the blessings that come our way in the form of qualities, lessons, people, achievements, possessions, support, privileges, experiences, and gifts. It is often related to humility, generosity, and mindfulness.
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~Denis Waitley
I think gratitude can be an outgrowth of the best kind of attitude to have as we go through like. Consider the attitude expressed in this Maya Angelou quote.
This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before. ~Maya Angelou
I love that. If only I can get up each day with that thought in mind. Each day is a gift. Some days aren’t as good as others. Yet, each sunrise gives the promise of a wonderful day full of minutes and hours we’ve never see before. And that we will never see again.
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward
Who are you grateful to have in your life? I have so many. First my mother who loved me beyond measure, but at the same time, made sure I knew how to act right. I’m grateful for my sisters who shared my girlhood and who are now my best friends. I am grateful I met the man whose name was written in the stars with mine and how together we loved and helped our children grow up to be successful adults. They found good spouses and blessed us with grandchildren. More reason to be thankful and grateful.
Years ago, at our church’s thanksgiving dinner, we would form a circle, hold hands, and then one by one, name something we were thankful for. Most people said the expected things. the Lord, Calvary, Sunday school and church. Church family and more and more. One year, after so many had named the expected things that I also could say, I said dogs. That got a laugh from the others there. I am grateful for the many dog buddies I’ve had through the years. And other pets too. My horse loving granddaughter would say horses. My sister would say cats.
My other sister would tell us all to be grateful for our vision since she has trouble with hers that hampers her ability to read and she loves to read. Some things like that we do take for granted. I sometimes take for granted my walking paths and having a phone in my pocket to capture some of the gifts of nature I see on my walks with the dogs.
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton
Oh, and I’m very grateful for a loving church family at the little country church my husband and I attend. Here’s another quote I love.
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brault
Those everyday blessings of sunshine through a window, a butterfly floating past or lighting on a zinnia in my garden. A hummingbird buzzing past my head. A hug from a child. Or a friend. The 26 letters in the alphabet that can make a zillion words that I can put together to tell a story. Food on my table. A cup of hot tea to drink while reading a good book. The smile of a baby or toddler when I pass by them in the grocery. Ripe blackberries on the bushes in the field. The cheerfulness of daisies and the beauty of the flowers that grow wild down by the creek. So many wonderful reasons to be grateful in my world.
Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude. ~A.A. Milne
I am grateful for books like Winnie the Pooh that I once read to my children and grandchildren. Other books that can take me on adventures. More books that I can use to come up with new ideas to bring my own books to life.
And readers. You readers are the best. And on this World Gratitude Day I’m grateful for you.
What is something your are grateful for on this World Gratitude Day or on any day? Name one thing or a dozen, if you want.
Comments 18
I’m thankful for so many things!! I’m especially thankful for my salvation!! I’m also grateful for Christian parents who didn’t just take us to church, but went with us and taught us about God. I’m thankful for all of the different translations of God’s Word, as they each help me to get a better understanding. I’m thankful for my church, for my pastor, and for the freedom we have to actually go to church and own our own copies of God’s Word. I’m thankful for CF authors and books!!!
Author
Wonderful reasons to feel gratitude and thankfulness. Like you, I enjoy the different translations of the Bible to give new insights into the Scripture. I’ve enjoyed reading straight from the New Living Translation to my Sunday school class at time. That can really open up and shine light on some well known Bible stories for the youngsters and for me as well.
I’m thankful for readers like you who read Christian fiction and support the authors.
I’m grateful I had wonderful Christian parents, for my siblings and our salvation, for my children and grandchildren, for a husband, a home, a garden, books, freedom to worship God, and on and on. I’m also grateful for you, Ann. Would you pray for my brother who has stomach cancer and is in a lot of pain. Thank you. Blessings!
Author
I love your list of things for which you are grateful, Lucy. I can echo them with thankfulness too. And how sweet for you to add me to your list. That makes me smile.
I am sorry for your brother’s illness. Stomach cancer is a hard one. Prayers that the pain will lessen and he can have more good days than bad as he fights this.
Ohhh so many things to be grateful for! Grandbabies and loving families. Warm weather, jobs that bring joy, a baby’s belly laugh. So many more things.
I love how you said dogs! I’m thankful for my sweet Ollie, and the friendships he created between neighbors. He turned a neighborhood of acquaintances into family.
I don’t remember where I saw this quite or who wrote it, but it stuck with me… “What if we woke up tomorrow with only the things we thanked God for today?”
Author
That is neat how your Ollie made friends for you and made sure to keep the smiles going. He was a good thing to make you thankful along with those other good things you named, Lavon.
I’ve used that quote in my church bulletin a time or two. I always include a quote. I think the quote is attributed to Max Lucado. I love his positive view of life with the Lord.
I just found out our book discussion group at church is reading The Song of Sourwood Mountain for the October discussion ! I am grateful!
Author
Wonderful, Bonnie. If you want to private message me an address, I’d be glad to send them some bookmarks. I love it when book clubs read my stories. Let me know how it goes,
I am thankful for moments to smile and laugh and touch and hug!
Author
All wonderful reasons for gratitude, Lauren. In Proverbs it says that a cheerful heart works good like medicine.
What a lovely message “A Day of Gratitude” conveys. One of your very best yet!!
Love the quotes and the valid, impactful, positive, powerful points they make.
Thanks so much, Ann, for reminding how very, very much we all have to be grateful for. Write On!!
Author
Chris, how nice that you took time to read my post. Very appreciated. I looked through many quotes, but thought these matched my thoughts best. It can be a spirit lifter to read through dozens of quotes about gratitude and kindness.
I always smile when I see your comments on the Bluegrass Writers Posts where you lift up and encourage other writers and always end with Write On!! That has to be your tagline.
My grandson turned 15 today.I am so thankful for him.He made me a ” Ma” and I am thankful for the closeness we have with each other.
Author
Happy birthday to your grandson, Lisa. I’m glad you have a great relationship with him. I know you’ll pray for him as he continues on toward his future. I miss the times I had with my grandkids when they were young, but I’m blessed to see them out there trying their wings and flying high.
Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present!!
Author
Love it, Ann. You are so right.
I did not know about this day. I am grateful for free Libraries where I can borrow all the books I want. I am a voracious reader! I am grateful for all the authors who write wonderful books for me to read!! When I check out at the Library, I say “the problem with this place is there are too many good books!” At my church, Spirit of Grace, ELCA, we take a moment for each person who wishes to do so, ask for prayer for a good thing, or a problem. Last week I said I was thankful that the Glaucoma medication is working and the pressure in my eyes is going down. Although until I was diagnosed I did not know I had a problem. I have a friend who has a peculiar sight problem, double vision, and she has no trouble with ebooks. Do those work for your sister?
Author
My sister had cornea transplants and something about the process caused her to have double vision, Marjorie. She does read ebooks but I think she still has double vision. She does have glasses with prisms that help. I’m glad to hear your medicine is helping your glaucoma. Eye problems is dreadful for those of us who love to read. I sometimes think of how helpless I’d be if it weren’t for my glasses that help me to see.
Thanks you for reading our books. 🙂 And yes, I am very thankful for libraries.