While the U.S. celebrates its annual Thanksgiving Day feast this month, the reality is that actual "thanksgiving" or gratitude should be part of everyone's life, every day. Roman author, orator and politician Cicero was surely correct when he wrote more than 2000 years ago, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others."

Gratitude is a source of happiness and empowerment. Greek philosopher Epictetus pointed out that, "He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." I am also reminded of studies done of the Holocaust survivors which show that those who found a way to feel gratitude, even in the midst of so much evil, were the ones most likely to survive.

It is thus a good habit to start each day by reminding ourselves of the many things that we have to be grateful for. Often it is the simple things that are taken for granted until we lose them. To see the sun shine, to have enough to eat, to be surrounded by family and friends, to have a job, to be able to walk and move freely and without pain; there are simply so many things to be grateful for. Most of them do not require money or other resources -- only an attitude, a habit or a virtue of gratitude.

Unfortunately, many people are lacking in gratitude. Author Aldous Huxley noted that, "Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." Samuel Johnson similarly observed that, "Man alone is born crying, lives complaining and dies disappointed."

There is also great wisdom in the George Coleman saying which reads, "Praise the bridge that carried you over." For Chinese citizens who have crossed the bridge over the past two decades, there is much to praise and be thankful for. While there is always room for improvement, so much has been achieved over the last few decades. Millions of Chinese citizens have been brought out of poverty, consumer goods and communication have greatly improved, the Olympics were a grand success, China's achieved much in outer-space and enhanced access to and improvement of education and health services; the list goes on and on.

It is not enough just to "feel" gratitude; it is important that it be expressed. As William Arthur Ward concluded, "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." Each person today has been given the gift of 86,400 seconds. It is important to take a few of those seconds to simply express, out loud, our feelings of gratitude.

Thank you dear reader and have a grateful day!

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn

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