“The more you become a connoisseur of gratitude, the less you are a victim of resentment, depression, and despair. Gratitude will act as an elixir that will gradually dissolve the hard shell of your ego–your need to possess and control—and transform you into a generous being. The sense of gratitude produces true spiritual alchemy, makes us magnanimous—large souled.” - Sam Keen
In the end of Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Pirsig reflects on the death of his previous child and the birth of a new one, and tries to be grateful despite all the hardship:
“What is seen now so much more clearly is that although the names keep changing and the bodies keep changing, the larger pattern that holds us all together goes on and on. In terms of this larger pattern the lines at the end of this book still stand…. Unhappiness and misfortune are bound to occur as long as people live, but there is a feeling now, that was not here before, and is not just on the surface of things, but penetrates all the way through: We've won it. It's going to get better now. You can sort of tell these things.”
Things are better now. You can sort of tell these things.
A few years ago, I was regretting that I wasn’t making time to write because I was too wrapped up in my work. But I wasn’t actually lacking time—I was lacking gumption. This past year I’ve published a post every week, largely thanks to the motivation of having readers worth writing for. Thanks for reading.
I took this photo last night at a friends wedding. Happy Thanksgiving!
Your post is appreciated!
Indeed... and so is Econ102!