Staff Picks

A collection of favorite resources – both old and new – handpicked by the Gratefulness staff for your perusal. This page will be refreshed 2 – 3 times per month with “gems” which have particularly moved, touched, or engaged us…

How a Penny Made Me Feel Like a Millionaire
(July 2013) As a young child, Tania Luna left her home in post-Chernobyl Ukraine to take asylum in the US. And one day, on the floor of the New York homeless shelter where she and her family lived, she found a penny. She has never again felt so rich. A meditation on the bittersweet joys of childhood — and how to hold them in mind.

A Vision for the World
Br. David writes about how one small illumination of gratitude creates ripples of positive change, so that “the gift hidden in our unprecedented world crisis is an equally unprecedented opportunity.”

James Taylor and Lowcountry Voices: “Shed a Little Light,” Columbia SC
(July 2015) In Columbia SC, James Taylor was joined onstage by Charleston choir Lowcountry Voices. Together, they sang “Shed a Little Light” in memory of the victims of the Charleston shooting and their families. The entire audience stood in support.

eightysevenminutes
This site (which is in essence a digital book) was created for those who struggle internally. Author Kent Hoffman writes that a shift can occur from: “I think I’m alone in this pain,” to “Others feel this way,” to “My suffering makes sense and I have new options I didn’t quite recognize before.”

X Ambassadors – Renegades
(June 2015) Powerful and deeply moving music video celebrating courage, perseverance and possibilities. The video depicts several disabled people living bold, full and inspiring lives. It had a personal aspect to it, since band member Casey Harris has been blind since childhood. “We wanted to make it emotional and personal — and that’s as personal as it gets for me, Casey and the band,” stated lead singer, Sam Harris.

Communion
The orb of light crests the ridge,
I stand facing her at the high point of the meadow,
my back to the full sinking moon,
and my heart leaps as always…

Books for Children
We are grateful for these books which have delighted, informed and enchanted us with their bold and loving invitations to children (of all ages) to live a wholehearted and grateful life.

We hope you enjoyed these resources. To discover more, visit our complete Library of Resources or dip into Gratefulness in Daily Life.