The combination of increasing gas prices and a down economy has quickly created stress and anxiety in all of us almost overnight.  However, with this downturn in the economy many have been forced to look at their blessings and the things in their lives that they are most grateful for, and that is a good thing.

These blessings, though, should go beyond the material – we ought to be living a grateful life, as we are being gifted by people and things “seen and unseen, known and unknown” all day, every day.  This knowledge should make people not only feel grateful, but more importantly, cause them to live gratefully.

What does it mean to be “Living Gratefully”?  An excerpt from Rabbi Rami’s article in the February issue of “Not Born Yesterday”:

“Living gratefully means taking nothing and no one for granted.  It means treating salespeople, stock clerks, bank tellers, and cashiers kindly.  It means not polluting your body with excess sugar, fat, and salt.  It means not polluting your community with bigotry, fear, anger, gossip, and ill-will.  It means saying thank you to everyone and everything by treating them all with utmost respect….Gratitude is not a way of feeling, it is a way of doing.  If you are not living gratefully, feeling grateful means nothing at all.”

I think this advice is something that all of us can benefit from, regardless of age.  So spread the word, and teach others the knowledge of how to truly “Live Gratefully.”  You’ll definitely get back what you give, and more.

To read the rest of the article by Rabbi Rami, see page 15 of the February issue of “Not Born Yesterday!”