Gratitude, Named

Sit. Soften the body.

Take three slow breaths.

Now, gently, call to mind three small things from the last twenty-four hours. Not big things. Small. The taste of a drink. The way the light came in this morning. A text you received. A moment someone laughed.

Hold each one, gently, like a small stone in your palm. There is no rush. The mind wants to move on. Let it stay a little longer with the small thing.

Notice — gratitude is not a feeling you have to manufacture. It is a way of seeing. You are not making something up. You are remembering what was always true.

Let the verse settle in: let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. And be thankful. The peace and the thanks are not two things. They are the same gesture, from two sides.

One more small thing. One more. Let it land.

When you are ready, bow the head. A small bow, to the day. To the giver of the day.