by S. F. Heron

Created on: April 05, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Do you remember having to thank Great Aunt Hilda for some awful, unwanted gift? How about getting a nudge under the table to remind you of your manners after Grandma's Thanksgiving Day meal? You would utter the required "Thank You" and life would move on.

Maybe your wife took your shirts to the cleaners, your husband made dinner, or your kid shocked you by emptying the dishwasher. Whatever the event, you might mutter your thanks or even be a little peeved at having to be grateful for someone doing what's expected of them anyway. These feelings can foster resentment and undermine the true meaning of thankfulness.

Somewhere along the way, these expressions of gratitude get lost in busy days. Gratitude is a way of life. It's become an obligation rather than the uplifting, happy event that it really is. We make the assumption that our loved ones and coworkers know we appreciate them. It requires too much effort to voice our feelings.

What is gratitude?

"Pleases" and "Thank you" are drummed into our heads as children. As kids, we're genuinely thankful for things that people do for us. That peanut butter and jelly sandwich is even yummier because Mom made it. An impromptu baseball game with Dad is a cherished event because it was so fun.

Over time, we take those we love for granted. It's natural to assume Mom loves you so much that doing mountains of laundry doesn't require a thank you. Dad doesn't need to know that you love spending time with him, even if it's raking leaves in the front yard. Sometimes we forget that positive reinforcement is very important to how we feel about ourselves.

Gratitude is a keen appreciation for everything and everyone in your life, every day. It's spirit-filled and defines how you look at the world. It's a reaction to a kindness done for you. Gratitude is genuine and complete. It begins inside your heart and head.

You can be thankful for a gift, a kind word or deed, or the beautiful trees in your back yard. You can be thankful for spring or snowy winters or the health of your family pet. Gratitude is a feeling that knows absolutely no limits. You can shout your thankfulness out loud or keep it to yourself. You can write it in a letter or 10-feet high on your driveway.

Gratitude is a great weapon against negative feelings, discouragement, and helplessness. It switches us to a positive state of mind and makes us focus on good things rather than bad. Sometimes we get bogged down in negativity by thinking our cup is always half empty. In fact,

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