Gratitude: A Golden Virtue
The following is a republished article by Dr. Frank Mancuso, CCCRD’s founder. Frank passed away in 2022, but his legacy and approach to counseling continue to guide our practice. To honor his life and work, and to keep drawing from his deep well of wisdom, we periodically republish his writings like the one. We hope you’ll be blessed and encouraged by the words of this impactful counselor and thoughtful friend.
How many times have you and others said, “Thank you. I appreciate that?” They are common, civilized words that are meant to be heartfelt. When we give, whatever we give, we are to do so with a cheerful heart and not out of compulsion. To that, I would add “not rotely.” Giving without heart connection means the giver has missed much of God's intended goodness.
What is the goodness associated with giving? Research can help answer this question. Gratefulness is correlated with increased optimism, life satisfaction, happiness, positive emotion, improved moods and health, reduced negative physical symptoms and stress hormones, better sleep, and more relational connectedness. Couples expressing gratefulness to one another feel more positive toward the other and are more comfortable with discussing their concerns.*
Gratefulness is a protector against narcissism and selfishness, as it actively expresses thankfulness or appreciation for tangible and intangible things and people in our lives, especially for gifts and things beyond our own ability to acquire.
Grateful people tend to be more humble, generous, empathic, helpful, committed, and responsible. And it is noteworthy that they don’t ignore life’s troubles.
Gratitude is truly a golden virtue. So, how can we better cultivate such an attitude? We can meditate on our past and present experiences and look for things to be thankful for, express it verbally (to God and others), show it behaviorally (acts of appreciation), and even keep a journal of things for which we are grateful.
* Dr. Robert Emmons at gratitudepower.net and other sources.