Loving Gratitude

Fragments from imaginary dialogues

“Another instance of concept-stacking [<link; short read]?”

“Yes. But, more importantly, practice-stacking. You’re practicing both at the same time.”

“How do you practice it?”

“Whenever I express Gratitude for something, I also express Love for something related to it.

The basic pattern is:

Thank you, I love you.

I might look at an object that reminds me of a past experience, good or bad, say ‘Thank you for the experience’, and send Love in the present to those involved in the experience – this is a beautiful practice called Active Love, which I know from Brian Johnson.

Or I might say ‘Thank you for the beautiful idea’, and send Love to the author.”

“Even if the author is no longer alive?”

“Yes. What’s important is accessing the feeling of Love and Gratitude.

Going the other direction. whenever I express Love for something, I also express Gratitude for something related to it.

The basic pattern is:

I love you, thank you.

I might say ‘I love you my dear parents’, express Gratitude to them for giving me the Gift of Life, for raising and supporting me all these years, and send them Love.

Or I might say ‘I love Learning’, and reclaim what’s usually a verbal-empty [<link; short read] by expressing Gratitude for my many resources and to my many teachers, and send all of them Love.”

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