Yesterday, as I was approaching the door to my place of work, I happened to encounter an older gentleman. I said my usual “Hi! How are you?” to him as he held the door for me. He responded, “Hello! I am well! It is a GREAT day to be alive! Praise the Lord!” I couldn’t help but smile and say, “Yes, it is!” His enthusiasm and apparent zest for life was contagious. I don’t know him. I don’t know his story. But it was obvious that he was grateful for the gift of another day.

I must admit that I was not feeling particularly grateful before I spoke with him. My schedule for the day had been upended and I was really just trying to survive. That short interaction completely turned my day around! All of my frustrations seemed so small and insignificant as I began to think about the blessing of having another day to live.

Gratitude is a powerful force. It awakens our hearts to beauty and abundance. It reminds us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. Gratitude keeps us from taking our own lives for granted and motivates us to help others.

Being thankful is a conscious decision. It requires mindful living, an ongoing awareness of the world around us. We can cultivate this by choosing to count our blessings every day. When we focus on what we do have, our perspective begins to change. We can look beyond our circumstances and see abundance rather than lack.

An attitude of gratitude. A thankful heart. It really is a GREAT day to be alive!