“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” This quote is by Meister Eckhart, a German theologian, philosopher, and mystic who lived from 1260 to 1328.
I recently watched a webinar, the topic of which was taking care of oneself during stressful times. There were many helpful and time-tested suggestions, including eating plant-based foods, making time for physical activity, and doing breathing techniques. These and a number of other ideas were presented, and the basis for their effectiveness was discussed as well. Because I have an interest in these topics both for my own well-being and to have knowledge about them in my work as a crisis line counselor, I was familiar with many of the recommendations. However, one of the ways of taking care of ourselves that had not been presented in other such presentations is to be thankful.
And yet it makes perfect sense. Being thankful recognizes that that for which we are thankful has been given to us. Having gratitude goes hand in hand with the quality of being humble. When we are thankful for the people in our lives who love us, we acknowledge that we did not have control of the family we were born into or that we would meet our spouse, partner, or friends who love us. When we are thankful for our health, we acknowledge that we were born with certain genes and have the good fortune of having nutritious food available to us. When we are thankful for a job that we feel good about, we recognize that we weren’t in control of that job opening occurring when it did or whether we would be invited to be interviewed and then selected for it. When I give these examples, I don’t mean to not acknowledge the effort a person puts into maintaining health, treating others in a loving way, or being a capable employee—those efforts matter very much—but it’s important to see how things came together over which we did not have control and therefore for which we should be grateful.
The way that being thankful helps us during stressful times is that by focusing on the blessings we have, we are not thinking about those material possessions or certain experiences we wish we could have. Thinking about what we want to have but do not adds to anxiety. Noticing what we do have and being grateful for it decreases anxiety.
I encourage you to follow what Meister Eckhart said and say prayers of thanksgiving, remembering that all for which we are thankful has been given to us by our Creator.