It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.
—Unknown
If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is “thank you,” that would suffice.
—Meister Eckhart (c.1260–1327) German Christian Mystic
When eating fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.
—Vietnamese Proverb
There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have. Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective of your day and your life.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
A sensible thanksgiving for mercies received is a mighty prayer in the Spirit of God. It prevails with Him unspeakably.
—John Bunyan (1628–88) English Puritan Writer, Preacher
Blow, blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as man’s ingratitude.—Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, thou dost not bite so nigh, as benefits forgot.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend…when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.
—Sarah Ban Breathnach (b.1947) American Self-help Author
The private and personal blessings we enjoy, the blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity, deserve the thanksgiving of a whole life.
—Jeremy Taylor
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
God’s goodness hath been great to thee.—Let never day nor night unhallowed pass but still remember what the Lord hath done.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Thou has given me so much… Give me one thing more, a grateful heart.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
Seeds of discouragement will not grow in the thankful heart.
—Anonymous
Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
We give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
—Indian Proverb
Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
If “thank you” is the only prayer you say, that will be enough.
—Meister Eckhart (c.1260–1327) German Christian Mystic
Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don’t unravel.
—Unknown
Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.
—John Wooden (1910–2010) American Sportsperson
No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night.
—Elie Wiesel (1928–2016) Romanian-born American Writer, Professor, Political Activist
Or any ill escaped, or good attained, let us remember still Heaven chalked the way that brought us thither.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.
—Buddhist Teaching
Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Of all the “attitudes” we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and a giving in return.
—John Wanamaker (1838–1922) American Merchant, Civil Servant
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.
—Frank A. Clark
If one should give me a dish of sand, and tell me there were particles of iron in it, I might look for them with my eyes, and search for them with my clumsy fingers, and be unable to detect them; but let me take a magnet and sweep through it; and how would it draw to itself the almost invisible particles by the mere power of attraction! The unthinkful heart, like my finger in the sand, discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day, and as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that thankfulness is indeed a virtue.
—William Bennett (b.1943) American Politician, Political Theorist, Government Official
Many favors which God gives us ravel out for want of hemming through our unthankfulness; for though prayer purchases blessings, giving praise keeps the quiet possession of them.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Eaten bread is forgotten.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Somebody saw something in you once – and that is partly why you’re where you are today. Find a way to thank them.
—Yiyun Li (b.1972) Chinese-American Writer
The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay “in kind” somewhere else in life.
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906–2001) American Aviator, Author
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
So often we dwell on the things that seem impossible rather than on the things that are possible. So often we are depressed by what remains to be done and forget to be thankful for all that has been done.
—Marian Wright Edelman (b.1939) American Civil Regrets Advocate, Humanitarian, Lawyer