Ripples v7.44: Ripples of THANKS!

Ripples v7.44: Ripples of THANKS!
11/21/05: your FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

In relation to others, gratitude is good manners;
in relation to ourselves, it is a habit of the heart and a spiritual discipline.
-Daphne Rose Kingma, submitted by Leslie S., Madison, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

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, submitted by David A., Colorado Springs, CO

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

For many of us here in the U.S., Thanksgiving is an opportunity to escape work/school for a few days and share delicious meals and fun times with family or friends. This holiday creates a fairly obvious reminder to spend a moment declaring your gratitude for these important people in your life. I hope you can take just one moment this week to pass along a big THANK YOU to somebody who might not be expecting to hear from you. Perhaps someone at work reliably completes tasks behind the scenes that benefits you (e.g. janitor, operator, or other support staff), or maybe a grocery store clerk or restaurant server that has frequently provided stellar service would enjoy hearing how much you look forward to their help. It could even be a person you pass on the street who has traded a number of smiles with you. We often forget that a sincere compliment can linger for hours, so this week I dare you to commit a random act of gratitude!

Peace,
Paul