Gratitude: A Great Virtue for Lent and Every Day!

I read an article this morning on gratitude which reminded me of a Chesterton quote. We say grace

before meals to thank God for the food we eat. But here's what Chesterton said:

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”—G. K. Chesterton

What a wonderful outlook on life. What would your list include? I say grace before...

...I greet my husband in the morning.

...I get in the car which enables me to go places my ancestors could only dream about. 

...I go into the grocery store and choose from an endless supply of safe and delicious foods and beverages. 

...my grandchildren come to play. 

...I fix a meal, or bake cookies, or brew coffee and add my favorite creamer 

...I put out the birdseed and hear the chirping and fluttering of the morning symphony. 

...I go out to the bee yard to play with my buzzing friends. 

...going into Church for the most important event of the day -- the holy Mass.

I could easily spend my entire day in a litany of thanksgiving. So why don't I? It's so much easier and tempting to complain about what I don't like than to say thank you for all the endless blessings I experience every single day of my life. Please, Lord, help me to do better.

What are you thankful for today?

While you're thinking about it. Here are few more Chesterton quotes to urge you on:

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." 

“The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.” 

“When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?”

And finally...

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”

One other thing for which I'm thankful is the wit and wisdom of Chesterton and so many others, especially the saints.

All you saints of heaven, especially our guardian angels and patron saints, pray for us! And you too, Gilbert!