Gratitude Journal

Reflections

This short poem consists of a series of direct expressions of gratitude. It begins with thankfulness for the natural world—the rising sun that “vanquished the darkness.” It then shifts to appreciation for simple, day-to-day life: getting up, going to work, and having time to play.

The middle stanza continues the pattern. The speaker is grateful for the ability to walk, talk, think, eat — and for a cup of coffee. The language is plain and concrete. These items are so ordinary they are easy to take for granted.

In the final lines, the poem turns to a topic closely related to gratitude — resilience. Resilience can be defined as the ability to recover from a fall. It means finding strength in the knowledge that hard times will pass.

The poem ends by returning to gratitude itself, as a way to begin and end the day. And in the final line, the gratitude turns outward — to you, the reader. That gesture makes the poem feel both personal and shared.

Affirmation

I begin my day with gratitude—for the morning light, the chance to rise, my cup of coffee, and the day ahead with its mix of work and rest. Gratitude for ordinary things we often take for granted is a path to happiness.