The smallest surprise, received gratefully, yields a harvest of delight.

Br. David Steindl-Rast

Developing a gratefulness practice opens us to the profound and sacred but also to things light, joyful, and humorous. In this short series of outtakes, we get to see Brother David trying to record a video that invites people to the experience of Grateful Living. The ease with which he laughs at his own “mistakes” when making the recording reminds us to be lighthearted when practicing anything. As you develop or deepen your gratefulness practice, make space for it to not go perfectly, and allow yourself to delight in that!


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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