The Nuances of Gratitude

At a buffet restaurant in Massachusetts, customers give thanks before obtaining their meals.

    Some people give thanks before eating. Their thankfulness is heartfelt. Other people recite grace in a rote fashion with little attentiveness. God must perceive these nuances.
    Gratitude is a form of humility. Not everyone exhibits it. For some people, personal achievements breed smugness and from smugness comes ingratitude.
     Thankfully—pun intended—many people do express gratitude. They are rewarded for their thankfulness. Studies reveal that showing gratitude improves one’s well being.
     But not all of the time. Sometimes expressions of gratitude becomes routine and expected. The recipients of gratitude sense a lack of sincerity.
     Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I gathered with relatives. Grace was recited before we feasted on a Turkey dinner. I joined the prayer but without sincerity. Now, in retrospect, I regret doing so.