“As we age, gratitude is ever more important because while the limitations of aging tend to constrict us, the recognition and expression of gratitude expand us. And we sorely need to counter the constrictions of aging with the expansions of gratitude. Without gratitude, we will grow small and bitter. Without gratitude, we will become a granular victim of life’s erosion.
“Like any other activity, we can practice gratitude and get stronger at it. Years ago, I made a commitment to say thank you as a way to acknowledge the presence of people around me. Saying thank you is a way to say 'I see you.' So, even when in a life-changing conversation with a dear friend in a restaurant, I stop when the server fills my glass with water, to say thank you. I see you. You are not invisible. Your effort isn’t expected or assumed but recognized as a gesture of kindness, even if it’s part of your job.”
