Q: Is gratitude for one’s nation a practice included amongst the ones you promote? — Nicholas, Los Angeles, CA

A: Yes, there are lots of things that make one grateful to be a member of this or that nation: the thought, for instance, of those countless unknown people who labored and suffered to give that nation’s present generation life and prosperity. There are also a few known celebrities in every nation: poets, musicians, inventors…. To all of them, we show our gratitude by doing our own part to enrich and hand on to another generation the heritage we’ve received.

Another important part of gratitude towards our nation is to speak up against its injustices and against a nationalism that fluffs its feathers and tramples on other nations. Protest can be a form of gratitude for the constructive values humanity holds in common and to which one’s own nation must rise, for instance cooperation, nonviolence, reverence for nature, and respect for human rights. In many people’s hearts, love for their nation is a strong emotion. It can easily be turned into a driving force for this rich and transformative gratitude.

— Your brother David


Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB
Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

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.

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