It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it . . . feeling Love’s arms gathering us all together. Whatever.

Last week the words “gratitude” and “generous” kept colliding in thought, in a happy way. Actually awe- inspiring. I mean, which comes first? Being thankful, then generosity flows out of it? Or does being generous compel gratitude? Actually checked word origins, convinced they were linked. Not exactly.

As I kept thinking about it, divine Love’s universal-ness felt profound. All around me. Us. Yes gathering us up as one people and propelling in me this fact: grateful-generousness begins in heart readiness. And is already in every place in every heart.

Then you can imagine how beautiful it was to see Editor Elizabeth Cook’s piece in the Salisbury Post’s Sunday paper, “This July could use a Thanksgiving.” And so perfectly stated! Thank you. Who hasn’t felt happy just to see others laughing together over a good meal . . . who can argue with summer tomatoes or Cheerwine. Kids playing. Or peaches for that matter. And yes! Happiness is a choice that starts in the heart. That flows out for everyone. Multiplying itself.

Grateful-generosity that begins in the heart has more to with genuine appreciation, pure respect, a smile from within; joy for others joy than with money or gifts or proclamations or hopeful plans. Doesn’t it? Such giving we can all afford―a natural bounty each of us can pull from.

A favorite hymn of mine begins,

“A grateful heart a garden is,
Where there is always room
For every lovely, Godlike grace
To come to perfect bloom.”

. . . and ends,

“Grant then, dear Father-Mother, God,

Whatever else befall,
This largess of a grateful heart
That loves and blesses all.”

And always comforts.

I like too what Victorian poet Anna Elizabeth Hamilton wrote:

”Ask God to give thee skill
In comfort’s art:
That thou may’st consecrated be
And set apart
Unto a life of sympathy.
For heavy is the weight of ill
In every heart;
And comforters are needed much
Of Christlike touch.”
— A. E. Hamilton Dublin, Ireland 1843-1875

Patti Kadick lives in Salisbury.