‘They Make My Heart Smile’: 30 Days Of Gratitude

ACROSS AMERICA — Counting blessings and wanting the same for those around us and strangers alike is an essential part of living with and practicing gratitude.

Often, the blessings we’re counting are the people around us — our parents and grandparents, our children and grandchildren, our brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles.

Close family members are the people we count on for love and support, to laugh and cry with, and to make lasting memories with. So it came as no surprise that so many Patch readers had a common answer to our question on Facebook about what they’re grateful for: their families.

People who live with intentional gratitude recognize that the good things in their lives come from a source outside of themselves — other people who give "many gifts big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives," according to Robert Emmons, a University of California, Davis psychology professor who is known as the "father of gratitude."

Patch's "30 Days Of Gratitude" is a series of articles exploring the intentionality of gratitude and featuring bits of wisdom from Patch readers. Check Across America Patch every day through November for more stories like this.

Simply but powerfully, here’s what a handful of readers had to say about gratitude for their families:

“I’m so grateful for my granddaughter and my great-grandson,” Cartersville, Georgia, Patch reader Darlene Medford Lewis wrote. “They make my heart smile.” (Sign up for Cartersville Patch)

“Grateful for these two kiddos,” Patrica Alba, Lake Forest, California. “They’ve been through so much but still keep their head up and stay positive.” (Sign up for Lake Forest Patch)

“Grateful for my son!” wrote Cheryl Dinnie of West Hartford, Connecticut. (Sign up for Greater Hartford Patch)

“My granddaughter,” wrote Paul Sea of Plainview, New York . (Sign up for Plainview Patch)

“I am grateful for my husband, my rock, and my best friend,” Jennifer Fiegley of Bridgewater, New Jersey, wrote. “I could not ask for a better person to walk through life with.” (Sign up for Bridgewater Patch)

Read More

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