--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift…" description: "\"Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long as we take things for granted they don't make us happy. Gratefulness is the key to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/david-steindl-rast-9835_granted_gratefulness-makes-us-aware-of-the-gift_243343.png" --- # Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us… ![“Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long as we take things for granted they don't make us happy. Gratefulness is the key to happiness. Practicing gratitude is so central to my spirituality.” quote by David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/david-steindl-rast-9835_granted_gratefulness-makes-us-aware-of-the-gift_243343.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/david-steindl-rast-9835_granted_gratefulness-makes-us-aware-of-the-gift_243343.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/david-steindl-rast-9835_granted_gratefulness-makes-us-aware-of-the-gift_243343.png) > “Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long as we take things for granted they don't make us happy. Gratefulness is the key to happiness. Practicing gratitude is so central to my spirituality.” [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing gifts and avoiding entitlement leads to genuine happiness; gratitude is essential for spiritual fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Seeing gifts makes us happy; taking things for granted blocks joy. Key Takeaway Cultivate daily gratitude. Themes gratitude happiness spirituality mindset Mood warm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual practice - relationships - well‑being Key Concepts thankfulness contentment presence Questions to Reflect On - How can you notice unnoticed gifts? - What habits help keep gratitude authentic? A Different Perspective Gratitude can feel forced if not sincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gratefulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratefulness/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Key to happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/key-to-happiness/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Taking things for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-things-for-granted/) ## Related quotes > [Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/gratefulness-is-the-key-to-a-happy-life-that-we-hold-in-our-hands/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [ \[I\] never talk about gratitude and joy separately, for this reason. In 12 years, I've never interviewed a single person who would describe their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-never-talk-about-gratitude-and-joy-separately-for-this-reason-in-12/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The understanding you gain from practicing gratitude frees you from being lost or identified with either the negative or the positive aspects of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-moffitt/the-understanding-you-gain-from-practicing-gratitude-frees-you-from/) [Phillip Moffitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-moffitt/) > [I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-don-t-have-to-chase-extraordinary-moments-to-find-happiness-it-s/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Practicing gratitude is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-germanotta/practicing-gratitude-is-one-of-the-best-gifts-you-can-give-yourself/) [Cynthia Germanotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-germanotta/) > [“One of the most profound changes in my life happened when I got my head around the relationship between gratitude and joy. I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/one-of-the-most-profound-changes-in-my-life-happened-when-i-got-my/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But after spending countless hours collecting stories about joy and gratitude, three powerful patterns emerged: Without exception, every person I interviewed who described living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-after-spending-countless-hours-collecting-stories-about-joy-and/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Think of all the beauty that remains around you, and be happy¦.. Be Thankful for all the small things in your life, because when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-of-all-the-beauty-that-remains-around-you-and-be-happy-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy. It is necessary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/in-daily-life-we-must-see-that-it-is-not-happiness-that-makes-us-2/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [“Robert A. Emmons, PhD, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being and confirms that practicing gratitude increases happiness and reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/robert-a-emmons-phd-has-conducted-multiple-studies-on-the-link/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [It is gratefulness which makes the soul great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/it-is-gratefulness-which-makes-the-soul-great/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [I believe gratefulness influences happiness, so I make practicing gratitude a habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-cooper/i-believe-gratefulness-influences-happiness-so-i-make-practicing/) [Brett Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-cooper/) > [In daily my life I must be thankful to able be to see friends that is the happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-chow-344/in-daily-my-life-i-must-be-thankful-to-able-be-to-see-friends-that-is/) Dean Chow 344 > [“It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/it-is-not-happiness-that-makes-us-grateful-it-is-gratefulness-that/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“Slowly, the practice of gratitude will begin to transform your consciousness so you start to detect Divine Presence and Divine Mercy all around you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/slowly-the-practice-of-gratitude-will-begin-to-transform-your/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) ## More by David Steindl-Rast > [Home and journey together constitute the creative polarity of the heart, the two dimensions we must cultivate if we want to 'develop the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/home-and-journey-together-constitute-the-creative-polarity-of-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Only gratefulness, in the form of limitless openness for surprise, lays hold of the fullness of life in hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/only-gratefulness-in-the-form-of-limitless-openness-for-surprise-lays/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [As I express my gratitude, I become more deeply aware of it. And the greater my awareness, the greater my need to express it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/as-i-express-my-gratitude-i-become-more-deeply-aware-of-it-and-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Any change in attitude changes the way one sees the world, and this in turn changes the way one acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/any-change-in-attitude-changes-the-way-one-sees-the-world-and-this-in/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [If you learn to respond as if it’s the first day in your life and the very last day, then you will have spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/if-you-learn-to-respond-as-if-it-s-the-first-day-in-your-life-and-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [We have thousands of opportunities every day to be grateful: for having good weather, to have slept well last night, to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/we-have-thousands-of-opportunities-every-day-to-be-grateful-for/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [The universe is gratis. It cannot be earned, nor need it be earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/the-universe-is-gratis-it-cannot-be-earned-nor-need-it-be-earned/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [...our happiness hinges not on good luck; it hinges on peace of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/our-happiness-hinges-not-on-good-luck-it-hinges-on-peace-of-heart/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [From experience we know that whenever we are truly awake and alive, we are also truly grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/from-experience-we-know-that-whenever-we-are-truly-awake-and-alive-we/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Blessing is the lifeblood throbbing through the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/blessing-is-the-lifeblood-throbbing-through-the-universe/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Beauty seen makes the one who sees it more beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/beauty-seen-makes-the-one-who-sees-it-more-beautiful/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Each one of us is called to become that great song that comes out of the silence, and the more we let ourselves down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/each-one-of-us-is-called-to-become-that-great-song-that-comes-out-of/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [In moments of surprise we catch at least a glimpse of the joy to which gratefulness opens the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/in-moments-of-surprise-we-catch-at-least-a-glimpse-of-the-joy-to/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [...One can learn to focus on 'opportunity' as the gift within every given moment. This attitude towards life always improves the situation. Even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/one-can-learn-to-focus-on-opportunity-as-the-gift-within-every-given/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [“Sometimes people get the mistaken notion that spirituality is a separate department of life, the penthouse of existence. But rightly understood, it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/sometimes-people-get-the-mistaken-notion-that-spirituality-is-a/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) [Explore all 70 David Steindl-Rast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) ## More Granted quotes > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I love trade magazines - any trade's magazine: by entering into what is taken for granted in a world not your own, you better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/i-love-trade-magazines-any-trade-s-magazine-by-entering-into-what-is/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [It's strange that those we miss the most Are those we take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-betjeman/it-s-strange-that-those-we-miss-the-most-are-those-we-take-for-granted/) [John Betjeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-betjeman/) > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Everyday is a gift never take it for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyday-is-a-gift-never-take-it-for-granted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This position is untenable, and there can be no pause in the agitation for full political power and responsibility until these are granted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-kelley/this-position-is-untenable-and-there-can-be-no-pause-in-the-agitation/) [Florence Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-kelley/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [If I could be granted a wish, I'd shine in your eye like a jewel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-i-could-be-granted-a-wish-i-d-shine-in-your-eye-like-a-jewel/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [End-of-the-world stories tend to ring true. I've always been drawn to them, but as I wrote my own, I found surprising pleasure in creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/end-of-the-world-stories-tend-to-ring-true-i-ve-always-been-drawn-to/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Never Take Happiness For Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-stiegelbauer/never-take-happiness-for-granted/) Mr Stiegelbauer > [Nothing evades our attention as persistently as that which we take for granted... the decades roll on without even a suggestion that perhaps the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-brady/nothing-evades-our-attention-as-persistently-as-that-which-we-take/) Marion Brady Browse all 1,933 Granted quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long as we take things for granted they don't make us happy. Gratefulness is the key to happiness. 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