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− | Love is the way I walk in gratitude. | + | [[Love]] is the way I walk in [[gratitude]]. |
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| Gratitude is a lesson hard to learn for those who look upon the world amiss. | | Gratitude is a lesson hard to learn for those who look upon the world amiss. |
| The most that they can do is see themselves as better off than others. And | | The most that they can do is see themselves as better off than others. And |
| they try to be content because another seems to suffer more than they. How | | they try to be content because another seems to suffer more than they. How |
− | pitiful and deprecating are such thoughts! For who has cause for thanks | + | pitiful and deprecating are such [[thoughts]]! For who has cause for thanks |
| while others have less cause? And who could suffer less because he sees | | while others have less cause? And who could suffer less because he sees |
| another suffer more? Your gratitude is due to Him alone Who made all | | another suffer more? Your gratitude is due to Him alone Who made all |
| cause of sorrow disappear throughout the world. | | cause of sorrow disappear throughout the world. |
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− | It is insane to offer thanks because of suffering. But it is equally insane to | + | It is [[insane]] to offer thanks because of [[suffering]]. But it is equally insane to |
− | fail in gratitude to One Who offers you the certain means whereby all pain | + | fail in [[gratitude]] to One Who offers you the certain means whereby all [[pain]] |
− | is healed, and suffering replaced with laughter and with happiness. Nor | + | is [[healed]], and suffering replaced with [[laughter]] and with [[happiness]]. Nor |
− | could the even partly sane refuse to take the steps which He directs, and | + | could the even partly sane refuse to take the [[steps]] which He directs, and |
− | follow in the way He sets before them, to escape a prison that they thought | + | follow in the way He sets before them, to [[escape]] a [[prison]] that they thought |
− | contained no door to the deliverance they now perceive. | + | contained no door to the deliverance they now [[perceive]]. |
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− | Your brother is your "enemy" because you see in him the rival for your | + | Your brother is your "[[enemy]]" because you see in him the [[rival]] for your |
− | peace; a plunderer who takes his joy from you, and leaves you nothing but a | + | [[peace]]; a plunderer who takes his [[joy]] from you, and leaves you nothing but a |
− | black despair so bitter and relentless that there is no hope remaining. Now is | + | black despair so bitter and relentless that there is no [[hope]] remaining. Now is |
− | vengeance all there is to wish for. Now can you but try to bring him down | + | [[vengeance]] all there is to wish for. Now can you but try to bring him down |
− | to lie in death with you, as useless as yourself; as little left within his | + | to lie in [[death]] with you, as useless as yourself; as little left within his |
| grasping fingers as in yours. | | grasping fingers as in yours. |
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− | You do not offer God your gratitude because your brother is more slave | + | You do not offer God your [[gratitude]] because your brother is more [[slave]] |
− | than you, nor could you sanely be enraged if he seems freer. Love makes no | + | than you, nor could you sanely be enraged if he seems freer. [[Love]] makes no |
− | comparisons. And gratitude can only be sincere if it be joined to love. We | + | [[comparisons]]. And [[gratitude]] can only be [[sincere]] if it be joined to [[love]]. We |
− | offer thanks to God our Father that in us all things will find their freedom. It | + | offer thanks to God [[our Father]] that in us all things will find their [[freedom]]. It |
| will never be that some are loosed while others still are bound. For who can | | will never be that some are loosed while others still are bound. For who can |
| bargain in the name of love? | | bargain in the name of love? |
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− | Therefore give thanks, but in sincerity. And let your gratitude make room | + | Therefore give thanks, but in [[sincerity]]. And let your [[gratitude]] make room |
− | for all who will escape with you; the sick, the weak, the needy and afraid, | + | for all who will [[escape]] with you; the sick, the weak, the needy and [[afraid]], |
− | and those who mourn a seeming loss or feel apparent pain, who suffer cold | + | and those who [[mourn]] a seeming loss or feel apparent [[pain]], who suffer cold |
− | or hunger, or who walk the way of hatred and the path of death. All these go | + | or [[hunger]], or who walk the way of [[hatred]] and the path of [[death]]. All these go |
− | with you. Let us not compare ourselves with them, for thus we split them | + | with you. Let us not [[compare]] ourselves with them, for thus we split them |
− | off from our awareness of the unity we share with them, as they must share | + | off from our [[awareness]] of the [[unity]] we share with them, as they must share |
| with us. | | with us. |
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− | We thank our Father for one thing alone; that we are separate from no living | + | We thank [[our Father]] for one thing alone; that we are separate from no living |
| thing, and therefore one with Him. And we rejoice that no exceptions ever | | thing, and therefore one with Him. And we rejoice that no exceptions ever |
− | can be made which would reduce our wholeness, nor impair or change our | + | can be made which would reduce our [[wholeness]], nor impair or [[change]] our |
− | function to complete the One Who is Himself completion. We give thanks | + | [[function]] to complete the One Who is Himself completion. We give thanks |
| for every living thing, for otherwise we offer thanks for nothing, and we fail | | for every living thing, for otherwise we offer thanks for nothing, and we fail |
− | to recognize the gifts of God to us. | + | to [[recognize]] the gifts of God to us. |
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− | Then let our brothers lean their tired heads against our shoulders as they rest | + | Then let our brothers lean their [[tired]] heads against our shoulders as they [[rest]] |
− | a while. We offer thanks for them. For if we can direct them to the peace | + | a while. We offer thanks for them. For if we can direct them to the [[peace]] |
| that we would find, the way is opening at last to us. An ancient door is | | that we would find, the way is opening at last to us. An ancient door is |
− | swinging free again; a long forgotten Word re-echoes in our memory, and | + | swinging free again; a long forgotten Word re-[[echoes]] in our [[memory]], and |
− | gathers clarity as we are willing once again to hear. | + | gathers [[clarity]] as we are willing once again to hear. |
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− | Walk, then, in gratitude the way of love. For hatred is forgotten when we | + | Walk, then, in [[gratitude]] the way of [[love]]. For [[hatred]] is forgotten when we |
− | lay comparisons aside. What more remains as obstacles to peace? The fear | + | lay [[comparisons]] aside. What more remains as [[obstacles]] to [[peace]]? The fear |
| of God is now undone at last, and we forgive without comparing. Thus we | | of God is now undone at last, and we forgive without comparing. Thus we |
− | cannot choose to overlook some things, and yet retain some other things | + | cannot [[choose]] to overlook some things, and yet retain some other things |
− | still locked away as "sins." When your forgiveness is complete you will | + | still locked away as "sins." When your [[forgiveness]] is complete you will |
− | have total gratitude, for you will see that everything has earned the right to | + | have total gratitude, for you will see that [[everything]] has earned the right to |
− | love by being loving, even as your Self. | + | [[love]] by being loving, even as [[your Self]]. |
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− | Today we learn to think of gratitude in place of anger, malice and revenge. | + | Today we learn to think of [[gratitude]] in place of [[anger]], malice and [[revenge]]. |
− | We have been given everything. If we refuse to recognize it, we are not | + | We have been given [[everything]]. If we refuse to recognize it, we are not |
− | entitled therefore to our bitterness, and to a self-perception which regards us | + | entitled therefore to our [[bitterness]], and to a self-[[perception]] which regards us |
| in a place of merciless pursuit, where we are badgered ceaselessly, and | | in a place of merciless pursuit, where we are badgered ceaselessly, and |
− | pushed about without a thought or care for us or for our future. Gratitude | + | pushed about without a thought or [[care]] for us or for our [[future]]. Gratitude |
− | becomes the single thought we substitute for these insane perceptions. God | + | becomes the single thought we [[substitute]] for these insane [[perceptions]]. God |
| has cared for us, and calls us Son. Can there be more than this? | | has cared for us, and calls us Son. Can there be more than this? |
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− | Our gratitude will pave the way to Him, and shorten our learning time by | + | Our [[gratitude]] will pave the way to Him, and shorten our [[learning]] time by |
− | more than you could ever dream of. Gratitude goes hand in hand with love, | + | more than you could ever [[dream]] of. Gratitude goes hand in hand with [[love]], |
| and where one is the other must be found. For gratitude is but an aspect of | | and where one is the other must be found. For gratitude is but an aspect of |
− | the Love which is the Source of all creation. God gives thanks to you, His | + | the Love which is [[the Source]] of all creation. God gives thanks to you, His |
| Son, for being what you are; His Own completion and the Source of love, | | Son, for being what you are; His Own completion and the Source of love, |
| along with Him. Your gratitude to Him is one with His to you. For love can | | along with Him. Your gratitude to Him is one with His to you. For love can |
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| [[Category: Workbook I]] | | [[Category: Workbook I]] |
| + | [[Category: Gratitude]] |