Thank you. Thank you very much!
The Shooks make a tremendous statement on page 106: “Gratitude has the power to change us completely.”
In my experience, I am most thankful when I have the most insight into value. For example, when I know the value of a kind word, I am very thankful to hear that kind word.
Sometimes value is strongly related to rarity and scarcity. Since diamonds are rather rare, their value is increased. Low supply, high demand, equals greater cost.
HOWEVER, in life, the most valuable things are not necessarily rare. But without rarity they maintain high value!
I can look into my wife’s eyes, enjoy an Alaskan sunset, gaze at an Arctic Tern in mid flight, gather around my Friday evening camp fire, hold my daughter’s hand, look at her lime green toe nails, ride Matt’s jet ski, and many other things without great scarcity. Yet they are all exceedingly valuable and deserving of gratitude.
In the end gratitude is not about scarcity, rarity, value, and supply and demand. Gratitude is about the appreciation and thankfulness of the heart.
If I had 30 days to live, there a thousand “thank yous” I would want to express.
Let’s start today.