Developing a Philosophy of Thanksgiving Day: The Seven Laws of Gratitude
Posted: Tuesday, November 23, 2010
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
The audio version of this article is available. Just press play.
Another Thanksgiving Day, and still away from my siblings who are some 8,000 miles away, there is a whole lot I could say, but to what end, except to clear the pipelines of my tear glands? (I am one of those guys who cry easily, though I know how to easily hide my teary eyes most of the time.) Instead of tears of regret, I will distill my thoughts and feelings in these few lines that I am calling "The Seven Laws of Gratitude".
Law #1. Grumbling is natural; gratefulness is spiritual. It takes little or no effort to complain, but it requires intentional focus and discipline to become and remain grateful. Often it makes no sense to be grateful, especially when life slams me against those thorny walls. It is then that I must reach passed a mental assessment of my experiences to see through eyes of defiant faith a hidden glitter which gives meaning to the unpleasant.
Law #2. "Gratitude is the attitude that determines our altitude" in life or on any given day. You have probably heard that one many times. Paraphrasing Dr. James McDonald, gratitude is like the air that keeps a balloon afloat. Ingratitude punches a hole in the vessel, causing it to lose altitude, sending it for hard landing, a crash. The only way to patch the hole and restore the balloon to safe altitude is to return to gratitude.
Law #3. Gratitude breeds contentment as ingratitude begets dissatisfaction. How thankful we are will determine how content we become.
Law #4. When we've learned to be grateful, we will live to be joyful. It is impossible to be ungrateful and be happy at the same time. We are joyful after we have become grateful. Joyful people are thankful people.
Law #5. Our gratitude level is inversely proportional to our greed level. The more grateful I am, the less greedy I become. A greedy person is a poster child for ingratitude.
Law #6. Gratitude is directly proportional to generosity. Givers are thanksgivers first. The more grateful we are, the easier it is to give our time, our talents, our treasures, and even ourselves away for the benefit of others.
Law #7. Gratefulness magnifies what we have; ingratitude magnifies what we lack. What my nucleus family lacks is time with the grandparents, nieces, and nephews of our three children. But what we do have is another family that has invited all five of us to share Thanksgiving Dinner with them. I'd rather give thanks for that thoughtful family than salvage another pity party this Thanksgiving Day.
Do you have a philosophy of thanksgiving? Your laws of gratitude which I have not covered? I'd love to read yours. ~mogama~
Law #2. "Gratitude is the attitude that determines our altitude" in life or on any given day. You have probably heard that one many times. Paraphrasing Dr. James McDonald, gratitude is like the air that keeps a balloon afloat. Ingratitude punches a hole in the vessel, causing it to lose altitude, sending it for hard landing, a crash. The only way to patch the hole and restore the balloon to safe altitude is to return to gratitude.
Law #3. Gratitude breeds contentment as ingratitude begets dissatisfaction. How thankful we are will determine how content we become.
Law #4. When we've learned to be grateful, we will live to be joyful. It is impossible to be ungrateful and be happy at the same time. We are joyful after we have become grateful. Joyful people are thankful people.
Law #5. Our gratitude level is inversely proportional to our greed level. The more grateful I am, the less greedy I become. A greedy person is a poster child for ingratitude.
Law #6. Gratitude is directly proportional to generosity. Givers are thanksgivers first. The more grateful we are, the easier it is to give our time, our talents, our treasures, and even ourselves away for the benefit of others.
Law #7. Gratefulness magnifies what we have; ingratitude magnifies what we lack. What my nucleus family lacks is time with the grandparents, nieces, and nephews of our three children. But what we do have is another family that has invited all five of us to share Thanksgiving Dinner with them. I'd rather give thanks for that thoughtful family than salvage another pity party this Thanksgiving Day.
Do you have a philosophy of thanksgiving? Your laws of gratitude which I have not covered? I'd love to read yours. ~mogama~
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)My philosophy is that thanksgiving, being grateful, is a natural consequence of taking responsibility for listening to one's core needs and meeting them. That results in a kind of inner integrity from which one naturally reaches out to others and the community with generosity.I really like that, Jennifer. Thanks for sharing it with us. ~mogama~
Although I like to show gratitude on Thanksgiving Day, I think of all the injustices we made here in America. Starting with the native American Indian.Yes, David, the injustices are a fact of history. My own people suffered great injustices too. The miracle, or should I say courage, of thanksgiving is that we can be thankful in spite of such atrocities in our world, thankful that the injustices have failed to slay our will to see hope's glimmer in a dark world. Along that line, the toughest thanksgiving challenge of this year is being faced by the suffering people of Haiti. One wonders what do they have to be thankful for, yet some Haitians are giving thanks. And if they can, so can we all. ~mogama~
My favorite mentor used to tell me when we are sufficiently grateful there are no words to express ourselves. I feel blessed to have maybe have reached that pinnacle twice in my life and then again maybe I was deceived but I think not because it was an experience unlike anything I had ever known. I work at giving thanks because it gives me a life of quality that is second to none. Your article carries such a great message to all and can give people lives that never thought possible even if they pursued some of your laws all year not just at Thanksgiving. Thanks Mogama.I do understand what your mentor meant by those words, Linda. There are times when gratefulness becomes so overwhelming that words elude us. When I experience grateful ecstasy I still like to say a simple "Thank you" to whomever my gratitude should be directed. ~mogama~
Mogama, I thank you for writing this article and make me, and I am sure others, realize that gratefulness is the path to happiness, peace and honest thanks for what we have. It simply does not pay, or make us happy, to dwell on what we have not. So I give thanks for people like you, Mogama, who help the rest of us see that our glasses are full, and not empty.You're welcome, George, and I like the way you put it: "...gratefulness is the path to happiness..." I didn't see the connection between gratefulness and happiness until recently when I realized that the times I am miserable correspond to the times when I am not being grateful, or am ignoring the good I have going for me. ~mogama~
What an amazing article. I enjoyed it Sir!"2nd Law of Mogama on Gratitude," reflects my attitude...lol...Regards, ChiradeepThat second law is not original with me. I heard it long ago, Chiradeep, and it has made a big difference in my life. ~mogama~
Mogama: thank you very much for sharing your great wisdom to serve and deliver.I have to confess: if I don’t practice once a day (best time in the morning to begin my day) some kind of gratitude there is something missing in my personal well being. Actually it’s done from the heart which is a universal energetic language.Shouldn’t we practice your beautiful laws of gratitude on daily basis?Have truly again enjoyed the audio version.You're very right, Walter. Starting each day off with a grateful heart can do wonders throughout the day. ~mogama~
"Givers are thanksgivers first." Wow--what a powerful statement! Your seven laws are wonderful, Mogama, and very appropriate at this time of year. Thank you for sharing them with us!When I thought about it long enough, Danny, I realized that the times I have enjoyed giving have been times when I was most thankful. ~mogama~
This is really nice.Thanksgiving is not a part of our Indian culture, but I can say we have a very similar philosophy when we celebrate our festivals too. No matter what you call it, an inborn gratitude of generosity is the core essence of all faiths. Thank you.
DMThanks, Drunken Mystic, for your comment. ~mogama~
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