The Courage of Gratitude

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we will reflect together on gratitude in all its complexity.

Gratitude is often presented as a moral imperative: count your blessings, look on the bright side, be thankful for what you have. If we are not grateful, we are judged as undeserving. But when life has wounded us, when we've been battered or treated unfairly, gratitude can feel hollow, even cruel. A demand to silence our pain, a bitter form of self-gaslighting dressed up as wisdom.

Can we meet gratitude as more than a mere platitude, but rather an act of bravery? To notice what is still good without denying what has been hard. To hold grief and appreciation in the same breath. To let gratitude soften us: not by erasing the truth of our wounds, but by reminding us that life is larger than them. To catch the moments, however small, that remind us we are still here, still connected, still capable of awe.

In this week's Connection Circle, we'll explore gratitude as a living practice that invites us to stand whole. We'll reflect on how it can coexist with honesty, how it can nourish without silencing, and how it might expand our capacity to meet both suffering and joy—in ourselves and others—with presence.

This conversation will leave space for questions like:

• How do you recognize gratitude in yourself?
• When has gratitude felt hollow to you? When has it felt real?
• Can gratitude coexist with grief, anger, or injustice?
• What does society and culture teach us about gratitude?
• How does genuine gratitude change the way we connect—with ourselves, with others, and with life?
• What do you feel grateful for?

Whether or not gratitude feels accessible to you right now, you are warmly invited to join us.
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Important Note:
Connection Circle is a space for meaningful conversation and shared reflection. While we often explore topics that touch on psychology, emotion and personal experience, this group is not a form of therapy or mental health support. There are no therapists or mental health professionals involved in organizing or facilitating the group. If you're in need of psychological care, please seek support from a qualified mental health professional.