Gratefulness Happens Before Thinking

Grateful means to me to be deeply thankful and appreciative -- it's a feeling that is deeper than thankful. Grateful is a feeling that emerges within me and I notice it. For me, grateful is different than and separate from expressing thanks. Gratefulness happens, giving thanks takes thinking. My feeling of grateful always comes before thinking. First I feel grateful, then I become aware of it, and then I think about my gratefulness and if I will express thanks and how I will express it. One thing that helps me grow in gratefulness is knowing I am always receiving gifts. Enjoying, valuing, and embracing gratefulness also makes it happen more often and helps it grow and helps me grow in it.