“When I first open my eyes upon the morning meadows and look out upon the beautiful world, I thank God that I am alive.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a lovely way to greet the day! While most of us open our eyes on scenes far afield from Ralph’s morning meadows, it’s the gratitude that puts from his heart into these words that really puts us in touch with his creative spirit.

Being thankful is a wonderful way to start the day, isn’t it?

When we’re thankful, we’re open-hearted — full of joy and ready to accept what the day brings us. Gratitude brings us many gifts:

We’re ready to receive: Being thankful puts us in a frame of mind to receive ideas and inspiration — to see the writing ahead of us as an adventure, a journey to somewhere we haven’t been before.

We’re more resilient: When we bring an attitude of gratitude to our work, we find the inner strength to handle whatever writing challenges come our way — thorny plot problems or lackluster words that need to be polished until they sparkle.

We eager and enthusiastic: When we start our day in a hopeful, happy mood, we feel uplifted and energized, even eager, up to run onto our field of play — the page — and make something exciting happen.

We remember that to write is a gift: Writing is solitary and it can test our mental and emotional stamina in ways most people don’t understand. But it’s also a gift. Through it we come to understand ourselves and others. We explore our wounds and nurture our strengths. We embrace the world and reach out to other people.

How lucky we are to write! Let’s cherish our creativity and our calling, and strive to start our days with a grateful — a greatful — heart as we all write on!