Uneasy Gratitude

by Associate Sean Bradley, BVM Spiritual Care Minister

I have never been anywhere where gratitude is so ingrained as at Mount Carmel Bluffs. The community expresses it well and often. I am both a recipient and swept up in waves of my own and others’ thankfulness. It is a remarkable experience.

Yet we do still grumble on occasion. Sometimes I see people catch themselves and shift quickly to something like, “but think how many people don’t have what I have . . . “ They go on to express that they should be grateful. Should.

So I ponder. If we too-quickly dismiss feelings of discontent or unease, replacing them with artificial shoulds, might we be setting aside too soon something that is calling for our attention? The Divine speaks not just through what is easy to be grateful for, but also through people, events, and experiences that challenge us. Might we be grateful AND attend to the source of our grumbling?

Maybe that can lead to still deeper gratitude.