There is no doubt that immersion in nature has a healing benefit. When on a walk in the woods I can feel my blood pressure dropping and problems melting away. The trick is to bring that feeling back with you. I am incredibly grateful for the natural world. Let’s not destroy it.
I'm grateful for every tree, cloud, mountain and living thing on this planet - and more so, because at my age, and not being able to immerse myself fully any more - but I'm afraid that future generations (because of our new leaders) will not have much for which to be thankful.
I am thankful for Thom & Louise and Nigel and every single person who makes this forum possible. I don't know if I'd still be here without it. Truly.
I think this is an important perspective from Thom's Report today:
"This isn’t about ignoring life’s challenges or pretending everything is perfect. Rather, it’s about training your brain to maintain a sense of appreciation even while acknowledging difficulties."
During my year-long retreat in a monastery at age 19, I learned that I was doing prayer all wrong. Like most Christians, I was taught as a kid to beg God for stuff like Janis Joplin's song: "Lord, wontcha buy me a Mercedes Benz ...." Meditation turned prayer into thanking God for my blessings and asking him to bestow blessings on those in need. So, in line with Thom's post, gratefulness has been a daily habit ever since.
Thom is correct that recounting one's blessings makes one more aware of them. Perhaps another irony was that I learned to view hardships as blessings. Boy, did I hate combat in Vietnam. The draft put me there for almost 2 years - half on land and half at sea. But there is nothing like getting missed by a sniper bullet to underscore the blessing of still being alive. That helped me to appreciate my fellow crewmembers whose teamwork kept us all alive.
After the war, I began to realize that being involuntarily drafted into a war had changed my worldview. I had lost interest in focusing on climbing a career ladder. Instead, I viewed my worklife in more vocational terms - following calls for my help and support.
Three years after grad school, I got a call from Navy's Surgeon General to lead a Navywide study to improve health services. I answered that call, resigned from the UT med school faculty, and got back in uniform. The war had left me 40% disabled, but they welcomed me back anyway. Before my project had even ended, I got more calls for help. They were more dire and more diverse - as were the challenges and blessings. Gratefulness fueled the rest of my vocational pursuits until Navy retirement at age 54, then finally NIH. Today, at age 78, the notion of counting one's blessings indeed amplifies awareness of the beauty in our daily life, which energizes our efforts to share those blessings with those in need.
As an AF vet during the 60s, I appreciate your story and may God bless you and yours. I just returned from Mass, where our pastor reminded us that "Thanksgiving" is a universal practice, not the American version that we celebrate more as a commercial doorway rather than a reflective 'thank you'. Something to think about and exercise those thought-provoking sentiments. Have a great memory trip.
Expressing gratitude, even silently, is for sure a healing experience. For some time I have been aware of this, and daily am grateful for simple things: that I have a functional right arm/hand (lost left side from a stroke 40 years ago), a comfortable warm home, friends, a warm shower in the morning, enough $$ to maintain my modest lifestyle. There’s so much to be thankful for 😇.
Thank you Mr. Hartmann for these great reminders. As I get older, I notice the small things more and know how fortunate I am. I try to remember these small gestures of gratitude to my wife and family, sometimes fail but getting better. Your columns help keep me sane and educate me at the same time and I am most thankful to you for them. Happy Thanksgiving.
Humans struggle to get to a better place. The fight against the bad actors never ends, neither do the tragedies. BUT, now we know we are essentially all connected. People are studying that and themselves---that's very important.
Really grateful for the First Amendment and the chance to use it daily with Hartmann and Company. Keep connecting, everybody! See you in the streets.
A mere 2 minutes a day of singing a happy song makes the brain work in your favor. Delete all negative thought from mind. The ego is danger danger Will Robertson. Kill the old ego that keeps your vibration low in karmic land, heal your inner child, remove your childhood programming with its lack mindset and let the abundance of the wonderful world fill your dreams and life. Do shadow work to pay off your karmic debt and free your ancestors and be your earth angel army. Praise God from whom all Blessing flow.
I am thankful for reading this…. Your thankfulness to those who read your writings has made me think perhaps I should start writing for whomever responds to what I write and chooses conversation in writing. Perhaps today perhaps tomorrow- I am a great procrastinator but thankfully I have choices. Thank you!!!
I'm grateful for the daily gathering here of commenters on Thom's essays. While I don't often have much to say, I really appreciate the opinions, information, and added contributions provided by any and all of you. People here have a lot of very worthwhile things to say, things that don't seem to be permitted anywhere on the so-called MSM sites.
A friend started a Gratitude Text in 2014 and invited friends to join her. I wasn’t ready then but after the election in 2016 my mind got very negative and cranky. So I asked my friend if I could join and she said of course. I’ve written one every day since then, just three things I’m grateful for.
Here’s #1 from yesterday: Grateful for November 26 in A Life of My Own: Gratitude releases us from a negative attitude. Deciding to be grateful for our situation, our experiences, our unique perspective, quickly changes our outlook on everything that did happen, on everything that is happening now, and on everyone we meet. Accepting that we are in charge of whatever kind of day we will have forces us to accept responsibility for our joy, which can always be ours, or our unhappiness. And being grateful feels so good. Gratitude is an attitude. I can feel it whenever I want. I will make a short list today of things I am grateful for.
I’m thankful for the columns you write and your dedication to democracy. Thank you.
There is no doubt that immersion in nature has a healing benefit. When on a walk in the woods I can feel my blood pressure dropping and problems melting away. The trick is to bring that feeling back with you. I am incredibly grateful for the natural world. Let’s not destroy it.
I'm grateful for every tree, cloud, mountain and living thing on this planet - and more so, because at my age, and not being able to immerse myself fully any more - but I'm afraid that future generations (because of our new leaders) will not have much for which to be thankful.
I am thankful for Thom & Louise and Nigel and every single person who makes this forum possible. I don't know if I'd still be here without it. Truly.
I think this is an important perspective from Thom's Report today:
"This isn’t about ignoring life’s challenges or pretending everything is perfect. Rather, it’s about training your brain to maintain a sense of appreciation even while acknowledging difficulties."
Happy day all people.
During my year-long retreat in a monastery at age 19, I learned that I was doing prayer all wrong. Like most Christians, I was taught as a kid to beg God for stuff like Janis Joplin's song: "Lord, wontcha buy me a Mercedes Benz ...." Meditation turned prayer into thanking God for my blessings and asking him to bestow blessings on those in need. So, in line with Thom's post, gratefulness has been a daily habit ever since.
Thom is correct that recounting one's blessings makes one more aware of them. Perhaps another irony was that I learned to view hardships as blessings. Boy, did I hate combat in Vietnam. The draft put me there for almost 2 years - half on land and half at sea. But there is nothing like getting missed by a sniper bullet to underscore the blessing of still being alive. That helped me to appreciate my fellow crewmembers whose teamwork kept us all alive.
After the war, I began to realize that being involuntarily drafted into a war had changed my worldview. I had lost interest in focusing on climbing a career ladder. Instead, I viewed my worklife in more vocational terms - following calls for my help and support.
Three years after grad school, I got a call from Navy's Surgeon General to lead a Navywide study to improve health services. I answered that call, resigned from the UT med school faculty, and got back in uniform. The war had left me 40% disabled, but they welcomed me back anyway. Before my project had even ended, I got more calls for help. They were more dire and more diverse - as were the challenges and blessings. Gratefulness fueled the rest of my vocational pursuits until Navy retirement at age 54, then finally NIH. Today, at age 78, the notion of counting one's blessings indeed amplifies awareness of the beauty in our daily life, which energizes our efforts to share those blessings with those in need.
As an AF vet during the 60s, I appreciate your story and may God bless you and yours. I just returned from Mass, where our pastor reminded us that "Thanksgiving" is a universal practice, not the American version that we celebrate more as a commercial doorway rather than a reflective 'thank you'. Something to think about and exercise those thought-provoking sentiments. Have a great memory trip.
Expressing gratitude, even silently, is for sure a healing experience. For some time I have been aware of this, and daily am grateful for simple things: that I have a functional right arm/hand (lost left side from a stroke 40 years ago), a comfortable warm home, friends, a warm shower in the morning, enough $$ to maintain my modest lifestyle. There’s so much to be thankful for 😇.
Thank you Mr. Hartmann for these great reminders. As I get older, I notice the small things more and know how fortunate I am. I try to remember these small gestures of gratitude to my wife and family, sometimes fail but getting better. Your columns help keep me sane and educate me at the same time and I am most thankful to you for them. Happy Thanksgiving.
1. Annual message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gFqLXhDP5M
2. We're grateful we made it this far. Grateful for friends and family. Can't hike anymore, but I have ideation to a time when I could.
3. I'm grateful that a few Republicans "make a habit of defying Trump." https://www.axios.com/2025/11/21/republicans-trump-congress-epstein-tariffs
The magic word for this Thankdgiving is "Bubba."
I'm grateful you give me a laugh from time to time, Daniel.
Bubba. Hilarious. thank you.
Just saw you on TV.
Grateful MAGA lawyers are duds.
I am thankful for you and will be passing on your wisdom and thanksgiving.
Thankful that my glass is more than half-full.
Humans struggle to get to a better place. The fight against the bad actors never ends, neither do the tragedies. BUT, now we know we are essentially all connected. People are studying that and themselves---that's very important.
Really grateful for the First Amendment and the chance to use it daily with Hartmann and Company. Keep connecting, everybody! See you in the streets.
A mere 2 minutes a day of singing a happy song makes the brain work in your favor. Delete all negative thought from mind. The ego is danger danger Will Robertson. Kill the old ego that keeps your vibration low in karmic land, heal your inner child, remove your childhood programming with its lack mindset and let the abundance of the wonderful world fill your dreams and life. Do shadow work to pay off your karmic debt and free your ancestors and be your earth angel army. Praise God from whom all Blessing flow.
I am thankful for reading this…. Your thankfulness to those who read your writings has made me think perhaps I should start writing for whomever responds to what I write and chooses conversation in writing. Perhaps today perhaps tomorrow- I am a great procrastinator but thankfully I have choices. Thank you!!!
I'm grateful for the daily gathering here of commenters on Thom's essays. While I don't often have much to say, I really appreciate the opinions, information, and added contributions provided by any and all of you. People here have a lot of very worthwhile things to say, things that don't seem to be permitted anywhere on the so-called MSM sites.
Gratitude is indeed a healing ac
Thanks!!
A friend started a Gratitude Text in 2014 and invited friends to join her. I wasn’t ready then but after the election in 2016 my mind got very negative and cranky. So I asked my friend if I could join and she said of course. I’ve written one every day since then, just three things I’m grateful for.
Here’s #1 from yesterday: Grateful for November 26 in A Life of My Own: Gratitude releases us from a negative attitude. Deciding to be grateful for our situation, our experiences, our unique perspective, quickly changes our outlook on everything that did happen, on everything that is happening now, and on everyone we meet. Accepting that we are in charge of whatever kind of day we will have forces us to accept responsibility for our joy, which can always be ours, or our unhappiness. And being grateful feels so good. Gratitude is an attitude. I can feel it whenever I want. I will make a short list today of things I am grateful for.
When I'm worried and cannot sleep,
I count my blessings instead of sheep.