Quote From Grateful:

“Opening our hearts to the constant flow of receiving and responding to gifts–the reality

that surrounds us all the time–makes us both more grateful and more generous.”

Awareness:

What a beautiful vision of the world: abundance! Gifts constantly flow around us like

a river. And we can live in that flow. When I became more deeply aware of gratitude,

I began to understand that every one of us is simultaneously a receiver and a giver.

We cannot give without having first been gifted. And we cannot truly receive without

recognizing that we are all mutually dependent on the good work and generosity of

others.

Do you focus more on scarcity–what you don’t have–than the gifts that are present in

your life? What would it mean for you to trust in abundance?

Practice:

Give a gift today to someone who does not expect it. Nothing expensive. Something

small, thoughtful, and surprising.

• What did you feel when you gave?
• How did the recipient respond?

Jot your responses in a small notebook or on your cell phone. In the evening, review and

reflect on how abundance and generosity is present in your life.

Prayer:

The poet Wendell Berry once wrote, “What we need is here.” May the wisdom of this

insight be ever-present to my heart–and may it turn my attention toward abundance.

Enable me to live generously in this realization, sharing gifts with no expectation of

return.