M. J. Ryan

Mealtime is a moment to give thanks—a collection of 365 blessings that “traverses all spiritual traditions.”—Library Journal
 
 Today there is a deep hunger for connection with ourselves, with nature, and with others, says life coach and New York Times-bestselling author of Attitudes of Gratitude M. J. Ryan. What A Grateful Heart offers, from a wide variety of spiritual disciplines and secular perspectives, is a way of satisfying that hunger by setting aside time before we eat to acknowledge the blessings in our lives. When we give thanks, we take our place in the great wheel of life, recognizing our connection to one another and to all of creation.

 Reclaim and enrich the tradition of pausing before the evening meal to give thanks. Drawing from a range of religious and cultural practices, the 365 blessings in this book celebrate friendship, love, peace, reconciliation, the body, nature, joy, and appreciation of the moment. This illustrated feast for the mind includes quotations from Martin Luther King Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh, Gandhi, Rumi, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Denise Levertov, the Bible, and the Tao Te Ching, among many others.

 M.J. Ryan wrote A Grateful Heart to encourage families to share the experience of being part of something greater than themselves. With that in mind, the book includes 365 traditional and nontraditional blessings organized into four sections corresponding to the seasons.