[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 5-1] Acknowledging Kindness is the First Step to Gratitude: What Have We Received Already? Why Can't We Be Grateful?

[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 5: Being Grateful for Kindness and Grace]

[5-1] Acknowledging Kindness is the First Step to Gratitude: What Have We Received Already? Why Can't We Be Grateful?

◆Learning Objectives:

1. Understand that gratitude starts with recognizing what we have received already.

2. Learn the benefits and advantages of practicing gratitude.

3. Explore specific ways to practice gratitude in daily life.

 

◆A Tale of Gratitude

There once was a poor girl who faced many hardships during World War II. Starving and desperate, she was discovered by a neighbor and saved from the brink of death. During this time, a relief organization provided aid, including bread that saved her from hunger. This organization later became known as UNICEF, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.

As she grew up, this girl became a famous actress in the United States. She starred in the movie "Roman Holiday," directed by William Wyler, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress. This girl was none other than Audrey Hepburn.

After retiring from acting, Audrey Hepburn became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, dedicating her life to helping starving children around the world. Even while battling cancer, she continued her relief efforts in Somalia, earning immense admiration. She once said, "As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." Her life of service and gratitude continues to inspire many people today.

Image from Pixabay

◆Recognizing the Kindness We’ve Received

What Have We Already Received

We have received countless benefits from nature, our parents, and society. However, do we recognize these benefits as acts of kindness, and do we feel grateful for them? Often, negative thinking, taking help for granted, and greed prevent us from feeling grateful. Let's overcome these obstacles and develop a habit of gratitude.

Image from Pixabay

We Already Have Plenty to Be Grateful For

Look at the sky and the earth. The sky gives us light, rain, and air for free. The earth provides plants that bloom and bear fruit, and animals that help us live. All these are gifts from nature, given without our effort.

From birth to adulthood, we need the care of our parents and the support of society. Schools and teachers help us develop our talents and pursue our dreams. Even when we take a bus, we travel safely on roads we didn’t build, driven by others. The smartphones and communication services we use are the result of others’ efforts.

But most importantly, we should be grateful for our life itself. Without our existence, everything else becomes meaningless. Being thankful for our existence helps us appreciate everything else in life.

Gratitude is about recognizing kindness and grace we’ve received and feeling thankful for it. When we believe that family, friends, society, the nation, or even a higher power have given us good things, we feel gratitude. This gratitude helps us realize we are loved and boosts our self-esteem.

Image from Pixabay

◆Obstacles to Gratitude 

Despite the many benefits we receive from nature, parents, and society, why do we often fail to feel grateful?

1. Negative Bias

Our brain reacts more strongly to negative stimuli than to positive ones, making us remember negative events more vividly. This negative bias makes us focus on what we lack and overlook the kindness we’ve received.

2. Taking Things for Granted

We often take our parents' love and care for granted, as well as the education we receive. However, there are children who lose their parents or don’t have access to education. Remembering that what we take for granted may be a blessing for others helps us feel grateful.

3. Greed

Greed makes us want more than we need, preventing us from appreciating what we already have. A heart filled with greed cannot grow gratitude.

4. Lack of Gratitude Training

Gratitude requires practice. We need to consciously find things to be thankful for and express our gratitude regularly. Without this practice, our negative biases, entitlement, and greed take over.

 

Image from Pixabay

◆ Gratitude and Peace

A grateful heart is the foundation of a peaceful personality. Recognizing the kindness we’ve received in the past, present, and future is key. Accepting that our achievements are not just our own but also due to the efforts of others fosters gratitude. A society where people regularly express gratitude is a peaceful one. Gratitude is essential for building a peaceful world.

 

◆Reflection

1. Have you ever failed to feel grateful for something you should have? Why did you think it wasn’t worth being grateful for?

2. Think about someone you haven’t expressed gratitude to. Who do you want to thank and why?

3. Let's take a moment to write a letter of gratitude to those who have helped us. Recognizing and expressing our thanks is the first step towards a more peaceful and harmonious life.