Hello readers,
Today there is a simple message which has many potential facets, but in the end stems down to one thing. Our society will only change if we are all more grateful from the gifts we receive from others (human and nonhuman.) Gratitude is defined as appreciating and being thankful for the gifts of the other.
The reason gratitude is necessary for change is because gratitude makes us more aware of our mutual relationship with all things. Thus, gratitude is a necessity for solidarity. Without gratitude, we are unable to connect to others on the deepest level as people remain at the level of appearances.
A deep level of connection with others though is really hard. Two main things hinder gratitude: fear, and our place of status. We're afraid of being grateful because it means three things: a) we can lose the gifts others give us, b) we can fear having responsibility for the other by building a desire to care, and c) we may not like the gift the other gives us. Also, we risk our status by being grateful, because our titles and labels for ourselves go away in relationships where we seek gratitude. What remains in these relationships is a mutual gift sharing between the people invovled in a particular relationship.
Finally, tips for building gratitude in relationships. First, get into activities where role reversal is encouraged. The idea here is to be in relationships where there is a mutual exchange of experience and there is not one person who is the teacher and one person who is the learner. (Note: this is a temptation in a lot of my relationships). Second, we have to learn to appreciate the gifts distant and different others can give to our experience for them being themselves. This will enable us to open up to others and help us love God and neighbor because we engage others where they are at.
Aristocrates
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