“At every moment, life gives you the opportunity to do something with what life gives you,” he says. “And, therefore, Grateful Living means learning to avail yourself, moment by moment, of that opportunity.”

Br. David Steindl-Rast—author, scholar and Benedictine Monk—is beloved the world over for his enduring message about gratefulness as the true source of lasting joy. His conversation with Oprah covered a wide range of subjects from Br. David’s background, how he became a monk, living with joy in challenging times, loving our enemies, and how to practice living gratefully.


Click here for a transcript of the interview

You can also listen to an  audio version of this episode on Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations podcast.

Listen to the Episode on iTunes and on Stitcher


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Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

About the author

Brother David Steindl-Rast — author, scholar, and Benedictine monk — is beloved the world over for his enduring message about gratefulness as the true source of lasting happiness. Known to many as the “grandfather of gratitude,” Br. David has been a source of inspiration and spiritual friendship to countless leaders and luminaries around the world including Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, and more. He has been one of the most important figures in the modern interfaith dialogue movement, and has taught with thought-leaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Jack Kornfield, and Roshi Joan Halifax. His wisdom has been featured in recent interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Krista Tippett, and Tami Simon and his TED talk has been viewed almost 10,000,000 times. Learn more about Br. David here.