And so, an expression of gratitude begins.

Grateful people are happy people. It's a fact. It's something that they reteach me every year (more like every other month) in Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting, but somehow I always seem to forget that gratitude is key to real happiness. Too often I find myself down in the dumps about some little trifle that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. A lot of the time, I need to remind myself to be grateful for the blessings surrounding me. Because, believe me, there's a lot.

Really, I'm a lot more blessed than I deserve to be. Let me tell you a story that will give you an idea: One friday during Junior year, I went to my Catholic High School's weekly mass. The priest got up and began his homily (which is kind of like a talk) by asking the students present a question: "If you won the lottery, what would you buy?" My friends and I turned to each other and began excitedly describing the huge houses and the fancy cars we would buy, the vacations we would take, and adventures that we would have if we won the lottery. The priest waited until the animated chatter died down and then told us something I will never forget. He said, "If you're sitting in this room right now, you have won the lottery. Most of you are in good health and have been well cared for by a family that loves you. You probably have friends that support you and want the best for you. You've been provided food, clothing, and shelter. If you're here, you're receiving an excellent education, and you'll probably go to college. You have tons of opportunities available to you and a bright future. 98 percent of the world's population isn't half as lucky as you are." The truth of those words sank in, and I felt guilty--with everything that I'd been given, how could I have ever complained about anything? I'd just about been handed the world, and I took it all for granted.

It's hard to remember to be grateful for everything I've been given. Sometimes I forget that I've won the lottery of life, and that I of all people should have a grateful heart. My goal for this year is to find something to be grateful for each day, and share my gratitude with other people. Gratitude is contagious, and I want to be one of those people that spreads it around like wildfire. As I see things to be grateful for, I'll write about them here. I'm excited to see where this takes me.