Gratitude is one of the best emotions. It's easy to fall into the habit of looking forward to things in the future, and thinking that our happiness depends on those things. We think, I'll be so happy when I finally finish this project. But when the project is finished, almost immediately we start thinking of the next project, and we imagine that we'll be happy when it is finished. Or we think that our happiness depends on getting something we don't have yet, like a bachelor's degree, or a PhD, or a job, or a partner. Sometimes I think that I would be very happy if I had a chocolate donut. But when I eat a chocolate donut, I'm usually disappointed.
We can easily spend our whole lives thinking that happiness is just around the corner, that it's something we have to work for, or wait for. It's easy not to notice all the conditions that already exist, that make our happiness possible today. To be thankful is to stop and notice those conditions. What a great idea for a holiday.
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