Brother David Steindl-Rast reminds us that opportunities for gratefulness abound David Ian Miller

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 11/21/05 | David Ian Miller

[TFFKAMM]

For many Americans, the Thanksgiving holiday is about gorging on a sumptuous meal, spending time with family and gearing up for the busiest shopping day of the year. Of course, it's also supposed to be about expressing gratitude for all that we have in our lives, but that simple lesson often gets lost amid all these other activities.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk who has written several books about the importance of gratitude, including "Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer" and "A Listening Heart," says remembering what we are thankful for is an essential part of daily living, one that's too important to overlook. Without gratitude, he says, we become slaves to unquenchable desires. Yet by remaining conscious of all that we've been given, we are more able to weather life's difficult storms.

I recently interviewed Steindl-Rast, who is co-founder and adviser to A Network for Grateful Living (Gratefulness.org), based in Ithaca, N.Y., by e-mail. He lives at the Mount Saviour monastery in the Finger Lakes region of New York...

[Savage Beast]

I spent much time with Brother David when he lived in California. What a fine, wonderful, wise, good man.

I've been having a bit of a rueful day today--and right before Thanksgiving too!--and reading about him has given my heart a change of mood and saved some part of the day.

Thanks, TFFKAMM! And Happy Thanksgiving!

[Savage Beast]

By the way, on the Enneagram, I'm a 4, with a 3 wing. What about you?

[TFFKAMM]

You're quite welcome.