Gratitude is such a personal emotion. When one considers “gratitude” from a religious perspective, frequently viewers draw referents from their own social systems, cultural experiences, sets of morals, beliefs, ethics, worldviews, faiths, and/or spiritual elements. It seems that we all know what gratitude feels like, but we differ as to how we might explain it to each other.

As for me, I feel pleasure when I achieve a state of gratitude as, even if for a moment, I am removed from the here and now, and am transcended to a point of joy. I feel happy if I may cause gratitude in another person. I am touched to watch others experience gratitude. I am saddened when people can not find gratitude during a particularly difficult time.

I enjoy reading about gratitude. I find peace while studying particular behaviors of gratitude; when viewing specific practices related to gratitude; if learning about cultural systems related to gratitude; during visits to sanctified places; as I visit preserved holy places; and when examining meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, and/or religious or spiritual aspects of human culture.

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