Gratitude and Appreciation

• Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Why, thank you" (though it helps if you say it with a Southern accent).
• Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well. (Voltaire)
• Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look at the stars. (Henry Van Dyke)
• Be happy while you're living, For you're a long time dead. (Scottish Proverb)
• The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart. (Helen Keller)
• Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
• The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention. (Julia Cameron)
• A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition. (William Arthur Ward)
• Crumbs of happiness make a loaf of contentment. It is up to you to shape it all together.
• Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened
• Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion.
• Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today. (James Dean)
• Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be; you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
• Each dawn is a new beginning.
• Each day is a precious gift. Take the time to unwrap every one.
• Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. (Robert Brault)
• Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. (Jacques Prévert)
• Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.
• Every exit is an entrance somewhere else. (Tom Stoppard)
• Every night ask yourself - what has this day brought me, and what have I given it?
• Every now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness to just be happy.
• Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. (William Arthur Ward)
• For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains.
• For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude. (Clarence E. Hodges)
• God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" (William A. Ward)
• Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect. (Jean Jacques Rousseau)
• Gratitude is one of those things that cannot be bought. It must be born with men, or else all the obligations in the world will not create it. (Lord Halifax)
• Gratitude is the best attitude.
• Gratitude is the hearts memory. (French Proverb)
• Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. (Melody Beattie)
• Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. (Storm Jameson)
• Happiness depends, as Nature shows, Less on exterior things than most suppose. (William Cowper)
• A happy life is built up of little clumps of violets noticed along the roadside.
• The happy man is not he who seems thus to others, but who seems thus to himself. (Publilius Syrus)
• The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. (Eric Hoffer)
• Have faith in the human spirit and in each heart's capacity to make our world a better place.
• Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.
• How happy a person is depends upon the depth of his gratitude. (John Miller)
• I am grateful that I am not as judgmental as all those censorious, self-righteous people around me.
• I can no answer make but thanks and thanks and ever thanks. (Shakespeare)
• If the birds forget their song...listen to a pebble instead.
• If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. (Meister Eckhart)
• If you don't have all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want.
• In a full heart there is room for everything, and in an empty heart there is room for nothing. (Antonio Porchia)
• In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
• Instead of bewailing the fact that we can't have all that we want, many of us should be thankful we don't get all we deserve. (Farmers Almanac)
• It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
• Joy is an attitude that comes through gratitude.
• Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. (Helen Keller)
• Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. (Marcel Proust)
• Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful. (Buddha)
• Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
• Life's short. If you don't look around once in a while you might miss it.
• Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory. (Betty Smith)
• The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more in life there is to celebrate.
• Much unhappiness results from our inability to remember the nice things that happen to us. (W.N. Rieger)
• The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage disposal probably eats better than 30% of the people in the world.
• No one ever built a statue to a critic.
• Not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
• Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. (W. T. Purkiser)
• Nothing tires a man more than to be grateful all the time. (E. W. Howe)
• One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay "in kind" somewhere else in life. (Anne Morrow Lindberg)
• The only person I must be better than is the person I was yesterday.
• People who complain they don't get all they deserve don't realize how lucky they are.
• Persons thankful for little things are certain to be the ones with much to be thankful for. (Frank Clark)
• Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it. (William Feather)
• A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. (Herm Albright)
• Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. (G.B. Stern)
• Simple pleasures are life's greatest treasures.
• A single joy can scatter a hundred griefs.
• Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway. (Emory Austin)
• Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light. (Albert Schweitzer)
• Take time to love the little things.
• There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.
• They say a combined effort can break down the wall of impossibility.
  
• That some good can be derived from every event is a better proposition than that everything happens for the best, which it assuredly does not. (James K. Feibleman)
• Think how happy you would be if you lost everything, then got it back again.
• Thou Shalt Not Whine!
• To feel rich, count the things you have that money can't buy.
• To really enjoy the better things in life, one must first have experienced the things they are better than. (Oscar Holmolka)
• To receive a present handsomely and in a right spirit, even when you have none to give in return, is to give one in return. (Leigh Hunt)
• Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold. (Maurice Seitter)
• Unthankfulness is theft. (Martin Luther)
• We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.
• We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. (Frederick Keonig)
• What I'm looking for is a blessing that's not in disguise. (Kitty O'Neill Collins)
• When you hear an ambulance siren, train yourself to think:
  "How nice, someone is going to have a baby!"
• When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself. (Tecumseh, Shawnee Chief)
• Who knows whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies. (Erich Fromm)

Quotes for Thank You Cards

• Being remembered in such a nice way
  means a lot more than just 'thank you' can say!
• I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you, my heart has no bottom!
• I'll never forget that you believed in me...even when I didn't believe in myself.
• The key to success is doing; The key to happiness is to have done it.
  Thank you for your time, talent and dedication to our (project, event, etc.)
• Our new baby is special and so are you. Thank you for sharing our excitement.
• Some people have a way of coming in with kindness and leaving smiles behind.
• Thank you for adding to the joyful spirit of my/our birthday/wedding/special day with your presence and lovely gift.
• Thank you for being. (traditional greeting of the Seneca)
• Thank you for being you!
• Thank you for brightening up my day!
• Thank you for giving us a lasting memory of your kindness and generosity.
• Thank you for listening with your heart!
• Thank you for opening so many doors...and then seeing me through.
• Thank you. You have a knack for doing the nicest things.
• (front)Thanking you from my heart
  (inside)This brings a special thank you,
  As warm as it can be,
  It was so very nice of you
  To be so nice to me!
• Thanks for being the person you are
• (front)Thanks so Much!
  (inside)Thanks for talking to me,
  making me laugh, understanding, listening,
  helping me see things in a different light
  and mostly just being there for me.
  you're a great friend and I wanted you to know I appreciate you!
• We've been blessed. A new baby and dear friends like you to share our joy. Thank You.
• You always know the perfect thing to do to make me/people feel special.
• You are so kind,
  you are so thoughtful,
  you are so appreciated!
• You have a special way of being thoughtful. It's hard to find a special way to thank you.
• You have a way of knowing the perfect thing to do
  That's why this note is coming with the warmest thanks to you!
• Your kindness and caring mean so much to me
• Your thoughtfulness is a work of heart. Thank you.
• Your thoughtfulness shows in everything you do.

Five Ways to say "Thank You"

English - Thank You
French - Merci
German - Danke
Italian - Grazie
Spanish - Gracias

Gratitude ABC List

A - abundance, adventures, air, ancestors, angels, animals, answers, anticipation, autumn, awe
B - babies, balance, beauty, best friend, birds, books, breath, brothers, butterflies
C - care, celebrations, challenge, change, chance, children, chocolate!, clarity, comfort, commitment, compassion, contentment, courage, creativity
D - dancing, dawn, day, delight, depth, determination, devotion, dignity, divinity, doctors, dusk
E - Earth, ease, email, emotions, encouragement, energy, enjoyment, enlightenment, enthusiasm, everything, experiences
F - faith, family, father, flowers, food, foresight, forgiveness, friends, fruit, fun
G - gardens, generosity, gentleness, gifts, giggles, God, goodness, grace, grandparents, grandchildren, guidance
H - hands to hold, happiness, harmony, harvest, healing, health, hearing, heart, heaven, heritage, holidays, home, hope, hugs, humor, husband
I - ideas, ideals, imagination, innocence, insight, integrity, intelligence, intuition
J - jokes, journals, journey, joy, judgment, justice
K - keepsakes, kin, kindness, kisses, knowledge
L - land, laughter, leaves, leisure, liberty, life, light, love, loyalty
M - mediation, memories, mercy, miracles, moment, moon, mother, music, mystery
N - nature, neighbors, night, nourishment, now, nurturing
O - oceans, offspring, offspringers (parents), oneness, optimism
P - parents, passion, path, patience, peace, power, prayer
Q - quality, quest, questions, quiet, quotes
R - radiance, rain, readiness, recreation, rest, rhythm, rituals, romance
S - seasons, sight, silence, silliness, simplicity, sisters, smiles, song, soul, spirit, sun, stars, spouse, spring, summer, sunrise, sunset, surprises
T - taste, teachers, thankfulness, thoughts, time, touch, traditions, trees, trust, truth
U - unconditional positive regard, understanding, uniqueness, unity, universe, USA
V - vacations, validation, values, variety, veterans, voice, vision
W - walking, water, weather, wellness, wholeness, wife, will, wind, winter, work, world, wisdom
X - eXperience, eXcursions, relaXation, XOX
Y - yearning, yes, yesterday, yin/yang, you, youth
Z - zeal, zest, zillion, zip

Gratitude ABC Album or Blessings Book

(Here are suggestions to get you started - or substitute ideas from the list above. Try making a small album to keep on your bedside table.)

My Favorite Things

(Words by Oscar Hammerstein 2^nd - Music by Richard Rodgers)

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with strings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels,
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles,
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Girls in white dresses and blue satin sashes,
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes,
Silver white winters that melt into springs,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things
and then I don't feel so bad.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something.
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations.
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge.
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary.
It means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those
who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Little Things

(Vickie Lambdin)

Be Grateful

(Edgar Guest)

Be grateful for the kindly friends that walk along your way;
Be grateful for the skies of blue that smile from day to day;
Be grateful for the health you own, the work you find to do,
For round about you there are men less fortunate than you.

Be grateful for the growing trees, the roses soon to bloom,
The tenderness of kindly hearts that shared your days of gloom;
Be grateful for the morning dew, the grass beneath your feet,
The soft caresses of your babes and all their laughter sweet.

Acquire the grateful habit, learn to see how blest you are,
How much there is to gladden life, how little life to mar!
And what if rain shall fall today and you with grief are sad;
Be grateful that you can recall the joys that you have had.

Stuff That Makes You Feel Good

Think about each one for a while before going on to the next...

• Falling in love.
• Laughing so hard your face hurts.
• A special glance.
• Getting mail.
• Taking a drive on a pretty road.
• Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
• Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
• Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
• Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.
• A chocolate milk shake. (or vanilla) (or strawberry)
• A long distance phone call.
• A bubble bath.
• Giggling.
• A good conversation.
• Finding $20 in your coat from last winter.
• Running through sprinklers.
• Laughing for no reason at all.
• Friends.
• Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
• Watching the sunrise.
• Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
• Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
• Playing with a puppy.
• Sweet dreams.
• Hot chocolate.
• Laughing at an inside joke.
• Swinging on swings.
• Going to a really good concert.
• Making chocolate chip cookies.
• Spending time with close friends.
• Holding hands with someone you care about.
• Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
• Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a present from you.
• Getting out of bed every morning and thanking God for another beautiful day.

Recuerdo

(Edna St. Vincent Millay)

We were very tired, we were very merry -
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.
It was bare and bright, and smelled like a stable -
But we looked into a fire, we leaned across a table.
We lay on a hill-top underneath the moon;
And the whistles kept blowing, and the dawn came soon.

We were very tired, we were very merry -
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry;
And you ate an apple, and I ate a pear,
From a dozen of each we had bought somewhere;
And the sky went wan, and the wind came cold,
And the sun rose dripping, a bucket full of gold.

We were very tired, we were very merry -
We had gone back and forth all night on the ferry.
We hailed "Good morrow, mother!" to a shawl covered head,
And bought a morning paper which neither of us read;
And she wept, "God bless you!" for the apples and pears,
And we gave her all our money but our subway fares.