This quote came in my Quarterly mailing from swiss miss a little while ago and, after finally getting the wall organiser that was part of the parcel up on the wall, I re-read Tina’s letter which included this quote.

Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone ~ G.B. Stern

And, as these things usually are, it was all in the timing as I had been thinking a lot about gratitude lately.

Not just about saying thank you but about being grateful.

And being ungrateful.

There are certainly times I’m ungrateful: I had a mini-meltdown last week in the most, unreasonable, irrational way. It’s wasn’t pretty. I’m not proud of it.

Perspective is a beautiful thing.

You have certainly heard the phrase “first world problems”. And while some dislike the term, I like it has a reminder to pull up the selfish train and take a good, hard look at myself.

And that brings me back to being grateful.

• I’m grateful for our very average, ordinary life.
• I’m grateful for our health, the roof over our head.
• I’m grateful that hoons and not machine guns are the only thing that disrupts our  neighbourhood.
• I’m grateful for the sun shining today.

Danielle LaPorte often includes a tweet during the day about the things she is grateful for ~ from the big to the small.

I think that is such a lovely idea, a small reminder each day of the things that made the day easier or better. Throwing out there in the wind like a small prayer of thankfulness.

What are you ~ big or small, extraordinary or mundane ~ grateful for today?

Out of interest: The origins of please and thank you