By looking up, by raising our eyes above our limited horizon, we are more likely to perceive the blessings hidden in affliction.

People who have faith in life are like swimmers who entrust themselves to a rushing river. They neither abandon themselves to its current nor try to resist it. Rather, they adjust their every movement to the watercourse, use it with purpose and skill, and enjoy the adventure.

Only gratefulness, in the form of limitless openness for surprise, lays hold of the fullness of life in hope.

Look closely and you will find that people are happy because they are grateful. The opposite of gratefulness is just taking everything for granted.

Blessing is the lifeblood throbbing through the universe.

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more.

From experience we know that whenever we are truly awake and alive, we are also truly grateful.