Q: How does gratefulness help in these terrible times when one religion is pitted against another? — Peter M., Lincoln, Nebraska

A: + One weighty aspect of gratitude which is often overlooked is its universality – the universal appeal of gratefulness across cultural, social, and religious boundaries. Every religion extols and promotes gratitude, and many who have given up on religions altogether will say, “My religion is gratitude.” In our time of disintegration, gratefulness has a unique power to integrate, to hold us together. This makes the current upsurge in gratitude-awareness a highly significant phenomenon.

We need a spiritual practice that unites all members of this Earth Household. Gratefulness is the top candidate.

– Your Brother David