Brother David Steindl-Rast has been the spiritual teacher, abiding light, preacher, and retreat leader for A Network for Grateful Living for 20 years. As he tells us in the foreword to this spritely paperback, he has been privileged to have lived by the Catholic monastic schedule for more than 60 years. With good cheer and most likely a smile on his face, Steindl-Rast writes,

"Grateful living will make you healthy and wealthy and wise – healthy, through living in tune with the world; wealthy, because the grateful heart lacks nothing; and wise, because wisdom ripens as the most exquisite fruit in the garden of everyday gratitude."

This handy spiritual resource is edited by the team at A Network for Grateful Living (visit them online at www.gratefulness.org). The format is perfect for those who would like to start – or end – their day with gratitude. Each page features a quote expressing an aspect of gratitude from a wide variety of famous and not-so-famous people. This is accompanied by a question of the day, such as "What has astonished me lately?" "What would allow the reservoir of peace in me to overflow toward others?" "Can I be happy for this moment, no matter what the circumstances?" "What 'thank you" is longing to be expressed to someone in my world?"

Turning these pages, you will quickly see how gratitude puts everything in its proper place and perspective. Saying thank you to the great Provider is only a smidgen of the praise we can acknowledge in all our days and doings.

While perusing the lively and uplifting quotations, we were moved to tally up all the bountiful little blessings which have arrived in our lives unheralded. But perhaps the best thing about practicing everyday gratitude is that it helps us get out of the habit of taking things for granted!

Here is a sampler of a our favorite quotations:

  • "Reality is permeated, indeed flooded, with divine creativity, nourishment and care." — Marcus J. Borg
  • "Those who are awake live in a constant state of amazement." — Jack Kornfield
  • "Wherever you are is the entry point." — Kabir
  • "The store was closed so I went home and hugged what I own." — Brooks Palmer
  • "Walls turned sideways are bridges." -- Angela Davis
  • "There is no greater mistake than to try to leap an abyss in two jumps." — David Lloyd George
  • "The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory." — Howard Zinn