All across America, we gather this week with the people we love to give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives.

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President George W. Bush

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The Importance of Thankfulness and Gratitude

In western societies most people face subtle expectations to get more, to achieve more, to deserve more. That makes us postponing our satisfaction to a life in future when we finally got all this. But this is a false conclusion and maybe the reason for suffering. Isn't it time to think of, what we have already got - blessings, health, friends and family - and be grateful for that?

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Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

William Arthur Ward

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.

Oprah Winfrey

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get.

Frank A. Clark

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.

Maya Angelou

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.

Henry Ward Beecher

We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.

John F. Kennedy

Thank you is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.

Alice Walker

None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.

Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

Gratitude always comes into play; research shows that people are happier if they are grateful for the positive things in their lives, rather than worrying about what might be missing.

Dan Buettner

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

Dalai Lama

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.

Willie Nelson

Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.

Margaret Cousins

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.

W. Clement Stone

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein

Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.

Betty Smith

When you give and carry out acts of kindness, it’s as though something inside your body responds and says, ‘Yes, this is how I ought to feel.

Rabbi Harold Kushner

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

W.T. Purkiser

I have an American son and an American partner, so marriage might logistically make sense at one point. My partner is a stay-at-home father, so if he wants to be on my health plan, or tax wise, or maybe on paper we want to have our I's dotted and our T's crossed, but emotionally, neither of us really feels the need for it.

Evangeline Lilly

The financial crisis that began in the summer of 2007 was an extraordinarily complex event with multiple causes.

Ben Bernanke

I dont understand the hatred and fear of gays and bisexuals and lesbians its a concept I honestly cannot grasp. To me its not who you love a man a woman what have you its the fact that you love. That is all that truly matters.

Al Pacino

Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him.

Lao Tzu

Protecting our land, our air and our water is a very important thing that we can only do together.

Martin O'Malley

It was an egregious violation of the American Constitution. We were innocent American citizens, and we were imprisoned simply because we happened to look like the people who bombed Pearl Harbor. It shows us just how fragile our Constitution is.

George Takei

When you're a short actor you stand on apple boxes, you walk on a ramp. When you're a short star everybody else walks in a ditch.

Michael J. Fox

Churches should not be directly involved in politics.

John Leo

Mamata Banerjee is just a casual worker, just like a commoner.

Mamata Banerjee

Evil is easy, and has infinite forms.

Blaise Pascal

Few are there that will leave the secure seclusion of the scholar's life, the peaceful walks of literature and learning, to stand out a target for the criticism of unkind and hostile minds.

Felix Adler

At the request of the special counsel, Mr. Rove will not discuss the substance of his testimony.

Robert Luskin

We have a number of challenges ahead of us.

Cory Gardner

I've used mirrors in a lot of movies. I think the mirror is an extraordinary thing, also the reflective, a reflection in water, etc.

Nicolas Roeg

A mantra is basically a means of talking with your thoughts and feelings. It's a time-honored method sometimes referred to as prayer, but really it's an opening of a conversation between the heart and the mind.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche

People say that human rights is a Western construct foisted on others. But that's not true. Equality, dignity, respect and justice are as much an integral part of the Islamic tradition.

Cherie Blair

My first acting lessons were Shakespeare. The first time I ever started working with a coach was doing scenes from 'Measure for Measure,' which were tough dramatic scenes. And then 'Taming of the Shrew,' which required comedic timing. And that's the kind of stuff I love.

Dave Bautista

The most important thing that was new was the idea of URI-or URL, that any piece of information anywhere should have an identifier, which will allow you to get hold of it.

Tim Berners Lee

To establish justice and to promote the general welfare, America does not need the abortion license.

Robert Casey

When I worked with M.I.A., who was, like, the coolest person back then, she was just a girl I met on the Internet. Or even when I met Azealia Banks on Myspace, I never thought, 'Oh, she's cool.' I just loved what she was doing. So I've always been like that. And I think, as a producer, that's what you've gotta do.

Diplo

High achievers dwell on what they do well and spend very little time evaluating themselves and their performances.

John Eliot

I like to go and watch 'Blade Runner,' which made no sense but which I loved going into that world. I think people loved going into the world of 'Dune' with all of its problems.

Kyle MacLachlan

I believe in the sanctity of marriage.

Sam Brownback

It's like going back to school. You know, autumn! Time for 'Harry Potter'.

Robbie Coltraine