Grateful for the Simple Things
Generosity and Gratitude
Reflection By Scott Stoner
Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be.
- Joseph Brackett, Simple Gifts
The Shakers were a Christian sect known for their simple ways of living, as captured in the familiar song Simple Gifts, written in 1848 by Shaker elder Joseph Brackett.
These opening lines mention the word gift three times. If simplicity is a gift, then it implies that there must be a giver. Although not explicitly stated in this song, the giver is God.
This song makes me think of all the simple gifts I have received in my life. I am blessed to enjoy the simple gifts of clean water, clean air, food on my table, and a place to sleep indoors each night. There are also the gifts of public spaces that I can enjoy—places others have created and maintained for all to enjoy, such as libraries, beaches, parks, trails, faith communities, and museums.
We can add the simple, sometimes barely noticed offerings of friends, families, and strangers—a door held open, a get-well card or message, a word of encouragement, a friendly pat on the back, or a meal delivered.
Life is full of simple gifts of generosity once we pause to notice. Often the most meaningful experiences of generosity are not the grand gestures but the small, everyday acts of kindness that make life beautiful. Gratitude for simple things requires intention in a world that constantly promotes bigger, better, more expensive, and more impressive. Yet these simple gifts often nourish our soul in ways that elaborate gifts cannot.
Weekly Integration: Looking back over this week’s reflections and gratitude practices, which experiences of generosity touched you most deeply? How has focusing on gratitude this week influenced your own desire and capacity to be more generous?