A Gift of Gratitude to Share - "Thank You for the Morning" Song

Thank You for the Morning - Song

I woke up this morning with a song in my heart. I felt a profound sense of gratitude. And not for anything grand, new or unusual.

Just for being alive. For the warmth of the sun on my face, the soft feeling of the sheets that surrounded me, and the peaceful stillness that came with dawning of a new day. Those feelings, those thank you's that began to fill my head and my heart, inspired a song that wanted to be shared.

I hope it touches and moves you as much as it does me, and reminds us all that each day is a blessing, and a new opportunity for each of us to create, to share, to love and to enjoy.

Gratitude: The Parent of All Emotions

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others.” — Cicero

Cicero's words capture the essence of gratitude. It's the wellspring from which joy, love, compassion, and kindness flow. Without gratitude, we might tend to overlook life’s simplest wonders—the warmth of the sun, the air in our lungs, the fact that we woke up to another day.

Sages on Gratitude: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Hearts

Rumi and Shams Tabrizi on Pre-Gratitude

Rumi, the beloved Persian mystic, often spoke about the transformative power of gratitude—not just for what we have, but for what is yet to come. A quote often attributed to his teacher, Shams Tabrizi, beautifully captures this idea:

“Be grateful! It is easy to thank after obtaining what you want, but thank before having what you want.” — Shams Tabrizi

This idea of “being thankful in advance” invites us to live as though the blessings we hope for are already on their way or even better, as if they are already here. It’s not about wishful thinking—it’s about trusting the flow of life and recognizing the abundance around us.

The arrival blessings, our wishes actually fulfilled, obviously can lead to feelings of gratitude. For many people this is the only way they have learned to feel grateful.

But realizing it flows the other direction as well, is the true wisdom. Gratitude makes us more aware of and more appreciative of our blessings making it more likely that more blessings will arrive - and certainly more likely we with become aware of more of them.

Rumi also described the radiance gratitude brings to the soul:

“Be grateful for your life, every detail of it, and your face will come to shine like the sun, and everyone who sees it will be made glad and peaceful.” — Rumi

Gratitude isn’t just something we feel; it’s something we radiate. When we cultivate it within, it shines outward, touching the hearts of everyone we meet.

Lao Tzu on Gratitude

The ancient Chinese philosopher and author of the Tao Te Ching wrote:

"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."

When we fill up with gratitude for everything we have, all of the tiniest blessings, there is no longer space for lack, for wanting, we just overflow.

King David on Gratitude

Psalm 23:5 in the Old Testament, attributed to King David reads:

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." — Psalm 23:5 (King James Version)

Indeed, if we can forget about fears and doubts, forget about wants and desires, and simply be present in the moment cherishing what we are and what we have, our cup, our life, will "runneth over" and overflow with the most poweful and curative of all emotions - thankfulness.

The Buddha and the Orange: A Story of Interconnectedness and Gratitude

It has been said that after Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, one of the villagers humbly presented an offering—a ripe orange.

The legend says that Buddha gently accepted the orange, smiling with gratitude. He held it up before them and said, “Let me show you how this simple orange contains the whole universe.”

He began to peel the orange slowly, inviting everyone to watch.

“This orange did not come to be here by chance. Think for a moment about everything that was needed for this fruit to arrive in my hands. First, there was the seed, carried from a tree, perhaps by the wind, perhaps by a bird, and then planted into fertile soil. The earth had to be rich and full of life to nourish that seed.”

“But soil alone was not enough. The orange tree needed rain to grow—clouds traveling great distances, heavy with water, poured life into the roots. The sun, too, shone down, warming the leaves and allowing the fruit to ripen.”

The villagers listened, beginning to see the orange not as a simple fruit, but as a miracle of interconnected forces.

“But even then, this orange could not have arrived here on its own. Someone—perhaps a farmer—cared for the tree, watering it, protecting it from pests, and finally harvesting the fruit when it was ripe. Then, it had to be carried here—through markets, across roads—until it finally arrived in your hands to be offered to me.”

He looked at the villagers with kind eyes.

“If even one of these elements had been missing—the rain, the sun, the farmer’s care, the journey, or the kindness of the man who brought it—this orange would not be here now. And yet, here it is, perfect and whole, ready to nourish us.”

The Buddha then split the orange and passed pieces to each person present. Before taking a bite, he spoke once more:

“When you eat this orange, do so mindfully. Be aware of the sun in its flesh, the rain in its juice, the farmer’s labor in its sweetness. Feel the hands that carried it, the earth that grew it, and the time that ripened it. In this way, you will understand that nothing exists in isolation. Everything is connected.”

The villagers ate the orange slowly, each bite filled with an awareness they had never known before. The fruit tasted sweeter, richer, fuller. They were overflowing with gratitude while savoring a simple slice of an orange that allowed them to connect with the infinite.

If we can remind ourselves, each day, to say "Thank You For The Morning", perhaps we will also feel grateful for all of the wonders, joys, opportunities and blessings that each new day brings us.

And in being grateful for our life, for every detail of it, it is my deepest hope that each of our faces will come to shine like the sun and bring happiness and peace to all we encounter.