7 - Alexis A: The Powerful Feeling of Gratitude

I’ve always had the mentality that it is better to give than to receive. Christmas is a familiar time that accompanies gift-giving and receiving. My mom would tell me to be present in the spirit of Christmas, rather than the presents themselves. As I got older, familiar times like this gave me a deeper understanding of gratitude in everything. It's true that “there are two kinds of gratitude: the sudden kind we feel for what we take, the larger kind we feel for what we give.”

    There is something so special about choosing or taking time on a gift or thoughtful idea for friends or family. It's even better when you see the joy that you expected from them. Their reaction makes you feel complete, knowing that you have given them something that makes them happy and appreciated. Being on the other side represents the instantaneous gratitude from what we receive. As you are surprised and thankful, you take in the thought of what you’ve been given at that moment. The two kinds of gratitude make up its deeper meaning, therefore, establishing it as a powerful feeling.

    For instance, in December 2020, my friends and I planned a surprise for one of our friends. Arguably, the best gift-giver in our friend group, we showed gratitude to our friend, Jenna. We did an Advent Calendar Scavenger Hunt, which sounds like a lot. But since her birthday is in December, we gave her a gift every day, hidden all around her house. This was our way of thanking her for the times we’ve felt happy in sudden moments with a large surprise that let her experience them herself. 

The powerful feeling of gratitude takes the form of a gift or something thoughtful. But when deeply recognizing the two kinds, there is more to each one that makes the feeling whole.

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