The Power of Gratitude

Even those of us smarting over the election have plenty to be grateful for. In fact, it's good practice to seek sources of gratitude in the unlikeliest places. A brief essay at the website of the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai International (SGI) explores why gratitude is always an essential practice. Here's an excerpt.

"While the admonition to 'count one’s blessings' may seem trite, in times of trial a sense of gratitude for what is good in our lives can ground us and provide a basis for meeting and overcoming difficulties. In this sense, gratitude is the key to unlocking a more open and rewarding perspective on life. Feelings of appreciation are always accompanied by the elevation of one’s state of life and the broadening of one’s perspective. And, the more our life expands, the more profound our sense of gratitude becomes, to the point where we can feel appreciation even for the problems we face in life.

"SGI President Daisaku Ikeda frequently calls on young people to take on difficult challenges, in order to be able to grow. To be able to look back on one’s struggles with appreciation is proof of spiritual victory. To be able to greet even the most severe hardships with a sense of gratitude, rooted in a firm confidence of ultimate triumph, is an expression of the free, unfettered life condition of Buddhahood.