GRATITUDE
“One single grateful thought raised to heaven
is the most perfect prayer.”
—G. E. Lessing
One January morning, I went downstairs in our new house and noticed that our Christmas tree had already been taken down and put outside. I felt upset because I had really wanted to take the time to thank the tree for having spent the holidays with us. This may seem strange to you, but I believe it is important to express gratitude for all that is in our life, even the so-called inanimate objects.
My boyfriend and I had found this tree at a discount at the end of the day on Christmas Eve. The saleswoman explained that they had received the wrong order and that the trees were not the beautiful farmed Christmas trees they had ordered. I didn’t care. I just really wanted to have a Christmas tree.
We had just moved into our new house. The cupboards had no doors and there were boxes scattered everywhere, but it was Christmas and I wanted to celebrate it.
This poor tree looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Digging through my boxes, I found ten red balls, two sets of beads, and a string of lights. Despite the tree having only a few decorations, I was still pleased to have a tree and I appreciated it.
The morning I found the tree lying outside on the patio, I thought to myself, “I should get dressed and go outside to thank it.” But something told me that it was not necessary, that the tree would hear me from inside the house. So I stood by the window and talked to the tree. I told it how grateful and happy I was to have had the opportunity to share this Christmas with it. I was happy that it was able to fulfill its life’s purpose to celebrate Christmas. There were still hundreds of trees at the stores that were not so lucky. Talking to the tree, I felt that it was talking back to me. It communicated to me that its life would not end there, but in fact it was going to be transformed once it was recycled with the other trees. I was relieved to know that it had accepted its fate. The tree seemed to know why it was there, and it was okay with that. Everything was perfect in its world. I started to send the tree lots of love and gratitude when suddenly I felt a wave of love come rushing back to me.
I felt amazed and shaken at the same time. It was as if a hose connected us to each other and the love was flowing back and forth between us. All the love I felt for the tree came rushing back to me multiplied. I felt tears well up in my eyes and felt my heart expand.
And then, I felt the love of all the things around me: the balcony, the entrance, the cars, the lampposts, the houses, the sky, and all the space in between these things. Love was coming from everywhere. I started to cry, because the emotion was so strong that I could not contain it. I felt that everything was love and I, too, was part of this love. Everything started to sparkle. It was as if a veil of lively sparkles covered reality. It was as if I was seeing through another dimension that is not usually perceivable. I felt such an amazing sense of peace, serenity, and love that I did not want the experience to end. But after a few seconds, everything went back to normal. It was such an extraordinary experience! I know there are people who meditate all their lives wishing to have such an experience. I feel so blessed to have experienced such all-encompassing love in a moment of simple but immense gratitude.
This experience of gratitude helped me understand just how much the universe, God, and the angels love us. In fact, it taught me that we are love and that all that exists is love. Love is the only thing that is real and the rest is an illusion.
“Gr-attitude” is an attitude of grace; it is a state of mind where one recognizes God’s favor and blessings.
Gratitude is a conversation, a prayer of thanks to the divine. It is how we recognize the presence of the divine in our lives.
“Thank you” is the single most important prayer you will ever need. With these two simple words, you are telling God and the angels that you are aware that you are not alone, you are grateful for all the goodness you already have in your life, and you trust that you are being cared for.
With those two simple words, you can create a magnificent life even greater than you could ever imagine, because saying thank you is like saying to God and the angels, “I believe in you. I believe in your goodness, your grace, and your blessings.”
When you send something out into the universe, it comes back to you multiplied. If you send love, you will receive love multiplied. If you send gratitude, the universe will thank you too. It will send you more blessings and grace for which to be grateful.
The angels recommend you write down every day in your journal at least three things you are grateful for today and three things you would like to attract in the future (but write them in the present tense).
While working on this book, I was doing some house cleaning and found a gratitude journal that my sister had given me. I opened it up to a page, and this is what I had written that I wanted to attract:
February 3, 2009
I am so grateful to have found a publishing house for my book!
I am so grateful that my book is published in French!
And I am so grateful that my book is such a big success!
The fact of having come across this journal entry at the end of writing this book in French was a sign from the angels confirming that when we are grateful in advance for something that we strongly desire, they have already begun to fulfill it. Know that we must do our part. I had finally decided to write a book in French, and I followed the guidance that led me to the publishing house. This left me to believe that my third wish, that my book would be successful, would come true. And it did! It became a national bestseller in only four months in the province of Quebec alone.
Today, I am also very grateful! I am grateful to the angels for guiding me to my English publisher, Llewellyn Worldwide. I am grateful to all my clients and friends who have inspired and encouraged me to write and translate this book. I hope it lives up to your expectations!
I am grateful to God and the archangels and angels for their inspiration, divine guidance, and presence in my life. I am also grateful for all the wonderful opportunities to share with the world their teachings, their guidance, and their love.
I am grateful to you, dear reader, for your time and for reading this book. Thank you for having given yourself this time to read and reflect, to believe in yourself and in your dreams, and to build your faith in God and the angels. It is my greatest desire that you find your life’s purpose, your inner light, so that you too may light the way for others.
May your life be filled with meaning, health, money, and abundance, and may it overflow with energy, joy, and love!
May God and the angels bless you and may their grace always be with you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
EXERCISE
Present
Saying thank you is the greatest gift you can give to God and the angels.
Each day, write down three things you are grateful for. For example:
• “Thank you, God and my loving angels, for the inspiration and guidance to write this book.”
• “Thank you, God and my loving angels, for ___________.”
Future Desires
Write down future events for which you are grateful. Write them in the present tense. Being grateful in advance is like saying, “And so it is!”
• “I am so grateful for all the wonderful opportunities to share God’s grace and the angels’ loving messages with so many people around the world!”
• “I am so grateful for ___________!”