Gratitude is an expression, an outpouring of the soul resulting from knowledge.
The depth of gratitude seems to be consistent to the depth of the knowledge — much like a pendulum swing. A little knowledge yields a little gratitude and a vast amount of knowledge can produce an abundance of gratitude.
For example, the feeling of gratitude walking out of the hospital after a life-threatening case of Coronavirus is far greater than the freedom following a 2 week period of precautionary quarantine. The realization or knowledge of proximity to death influences the level of gratitude.
Injuries and restrictions are excellent opportunities to be grateful for the freedoms of pain and mobility we usually have. The man in the picture above can use his injured hand as a springboard for gratitude.
Children can have a deeper sense of gratitude to their parents once they have children of their own and understand the challenges their parents faced.
How does one become more sincerely grateful for the myriad of things we take for granted?
One way is through reflection or mentally exploring a blessing by asking questions like, “If I didn’t have ____ then I would have to ____ and that would be really hard because _____.”
Alternatively, you can put yourself in a situation of living without a certain blessing. Try blindfolding yourself or putting your arm in a makeshift sling for a couple of hours. Your day and outlook will be radically different.
Another way is by talking with others about their life without a certain blessing. The intimacy of the conversation is sure to leave an indelible feeling of appreciation.
You can search online for first-hand accounts of life without a certain blessing. For example, our neighbor is picked up every morning seemingly for dialysis. If I search “life with dialysis personal story” then I get a huge volume of content, including this sobering story – Living on Dialysis: My Story.
(If you are clueless like me about life on dialysis I strongly urge you to read the story.)
Yitzhak Sasson 