Gratitude ties in so directly with our commitment to Simplicity, to see the beauty in simple things can only lead to gratitude for these wonderful beautiful things in our lives. There is also the joy inherent here to be able to see beyond the seemingly ugly, discordant aspects of life which allows us to notice, to stop and see the simple and yet profound. It offers the chance to be permanently `blissed out`, as we focus on the gifts ever present in the seemingly insignificant.

It can be harder to be grateful when the situation might seem to be less than a gift, when we didn’t get the job we wanted, when we were gazumped on the house we wanted.. yet how many times is this followed by a better job offer, a better house  and we can then express the gratitude we weren’t quite feeling earlier! Maybe, in the more challenging times the prayer is

“Beloved, Help me be grateful and trust you have my best interests at heart as at the moment I am unable to.  Amen