"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." - Cicero
While gratitude doesn't look like a big thing to people, I believe it's one of the practices that can transform a human life in different ways. It's a practice I have always indulged in for decades, and somehow it has changed my perspective about the world because it's one of the things that puts me in a mindful state.
A lot of time when gratitude is discussed, it's basically about showing appreciation to others when they give us a gift or render any form of assistance which is right but that's not all. Gratitude is about showing appreciation, and practicing this wholeheartedly opens our eyes even to the importance of the slightest favor we received from others.
Showing gratitude can be as simple as just saying thank you, but it goes beyond that for me because I have the habit of reciprocating favors not because I want things even, but because I believe that every act of kindness I receive from others must be paid back with kindness someday. I prefer showing gratitude with my actions than just using words, and it has become part of me. I am not trying to say that I have paid back every favor I get from someone, but it's always registered in my mind to definitely do the needful whenever I have the privilege to do so.
I used to have a couple as a neighbor some years ago, and showing gratitude has taken relationships from neighbors to families even though we are not related by blood. We did a lot of things together as neighbors, and the wife always observed when I didn't cook since I didn't have a job that year. She would share meals with me, and sometimes the husband would package foodstuffs for me.
I always felt embarrassed with the help they were rendering to me, but they never stopped even when I returned the things they gave me. Since we live in a crowdy compound, rumour started that I was having an affair with the wife, and that's why she always comes to my apartment with food. I was heartbroken and tried keeping my distance away from the couple, but they never allowed what people were saying to come between us.
Immediately I got a job. I tried reciprocating the favor by sharing things with them as well, but they always rejected most of my gift with the excuse that they couldn't take things from me just because they did something for me. Unfortunately for the husband, he had some issues with his business, and they had a serious financial issue, and even though they didn't tell me anything, I saw it clearly.
I told myself it was time to really show gratitude and did the little I could to support them. The husband's business got better, and it wasn't long before I left the apartment. Although we are miles apart but a day wouldn't pass with us communicating via WhatsApp. Sometimes, we make video calls on weekends, and they've been amazing from our first hello to this very moment.
Gratitude doesn't just end with showing appreciation to people because there are some favors that I can't reciprocate, and the gift of life is one of them. I believe it's not by my power that I am still alive today. If we look around, there are a lot of people who have lived a decent life than us and they have passed away.
I take my time to express my gratitude for the gift of life every morning, and it helps me start my day with lots of energy and hope. In addition to showing gratitude for the gift of life, I try to have an impact on at least one person daily. It could be a simple act of kindness to a complete stranger, but it makes me feel like I am alive for a reason.
Finally, self-gratitude is another thing I do, and the results have been fantastic over and over again. When Cicero said gratitude is the foundation of many virtues, there is no lie in it because one of the effects of self-gratitude on me is contentment. I always appreciate every little progress I make in life, and it has helped me stay content while I press further for more. Through self-appreciation, I get a lot of motivation to continue getting the best out of life, and nothing beats this for me.
There are a lot of benefits to practicing gratitude because it unlocks so many good things we don't even pay attention to. While it can be as easy as saying thank you, I believe actions most times speak louder than words.
I am a testimony of gratitude, and there is no going back on this practice for me. Thanks for reading.
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