Gratitude is the art of being thankful for all the small privileges of life irrespective of the circumstances of life. According to Sansone and Sansone, gratitude is the act of recognising and acknowledging the good things that happen, resulting in a state of appreciation.
Therefore gratitude is thankfulness for good things in life. It is an art that is so noble and yet so rare that it exists in a fraction of any given population.
Often when we consider what we are grateful for, overt and profound life experiences, circumstances, and events come to mind. Everyday routines such as waking up, going to work or being healthy are a rarity for many the world over.
Factors such as peace, good health and understanding are often taken for granted. We may feel grateful for our upbringing, family, job, good health and the opportunity to gain an education.
While recognising and being grateful for these experiences is important, our gratitude practice must also venture below the surface.
All behaviour is influenced by two things, nature and nurture. Nature is the inherent form of a person while nurture is their environment. And indeed ungratefulness is just another element of maladaptive behavior. A story is told of the 10 lepers who were healed and only one went back to say thank you.
There are numerous benefits to having a grateful heart. These benefits have a domino effect, with each contributing to the other. Furthermore, it is more beneficial to be grateful than be thankless.
Ultimately, for a person to choose whether to be grateful or not is not entirely dependent on them but typically it includes both his nature and nurture. Choose gratitude always.