Article February 21, 1914 Issue

Gratitude and Realization

LEWIS C. STRANG

It is self-evident that in order to perceive the presence of a condition one must become conscious of it; therefore in order to know that good is here, one must become conscious of the presence of good. For countless years, great possibilities for good in the way of fertility and productiveness of the soil were present in the arid sections of the far West. No one recognized this to be true, however, because of the absence of the moisture necessary to make this productiveness available; but today irrigation is literally making the desert to bud and "blossom as the rose."

We may well liken human consciousness to the arid desert. This consciousness holds within itself the God-given ability to know good as the reality and to bring forth an hundredfold of the blessed fruits of this knowing; but in too many instances the possibility of such desirable fruition is not recognized, because the factor is not present which makes the realization of good possible. Consciousness needs to be watered with ever-flowing gratitude in order that it may but and blossom with joy, peace, and confidence.

It is only through appreciation of the good we have that we really know we have any good. A child upon whom toys and attention have been lavished his whole life, who has been receiving all and giving nothing in return, is apt to be selfish, discontented, continually seeking satisfaction and happiness in some new thing and never finding it. Not having been taught to appreciate the good he has, he does not know that he has any good. His material things bring him little or no happiness because his mental state prevents him from being cognizant of the reality and presence of good.

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