Simple Act of Gratitude

At age 53, John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low: his small law firm was failing; he was struggling through a painful second divorce; he had grown distant from his two older children and was afraid he might lose contact with his young daughter; he was living in a tiny apartment where he froze in the winter and baked in the summer; he was 40 pounds overweight; his girlfriend had just broken up with him; and overall, his dearest life dreams--including hopes of upholding idealistic legal principles and of becoming a judge--seemed to have slipped beyond his reach.

Then, during a desperate walk in the hills on New Year's Day, John was struck by the belief that his life might become at least tolerable if, instead of focusing on what he didn't have, he could find some way to be grateful for what he had.

Inspired by a beautiful, simple note his ex-girlfriend had sent to thank him for his Christmas gift, John imagined that he might find a way to feel grateful by writing thank-you notes. To keep himself going, he set himself a goal--come what may--of writing 365 thank-you notes in the coming year.

One by one, day after day, he began to hand-write thank yous--for gifts or kindnesses he'd received from loved ones and coworkers, from past business associates and current foes, from college friends and doctors and store clerks and handymen and neighbors, and anyone, really, absolutely anyone, who'd done him a good turn, however large or small. Immediately after he'd sent his very first notes, significant and surprising benefits began to come John's way--from financial gain to true friendship, from weight loss to inner peace. While John wrote his notes, the economy collapsed, the bank across the street from his office failed, but thank-you note by thank-you note, John's whole life turned around.

A Simple Act of Gratitude is a rare memoir: its touching, immediately accessible message--and benefits--come to readers from the plainspoken storytelling of an ordinary man. Kralik sets a believable, doable example of how to live a miraculously good life. To read A Simple Act of Gratitude is to be changed

La 53 de ani, John Kralik si-a gasit viata la un nivel teribil, infricosator: mica sa firma de avocatura esua; se lupta printr-un al doilea divort dureros; se indepartase de cei doi copii mai mari si se temea ca ar putea pierde contactul cu fiica sa mica; locuia intr-un mic apartament in care a inghetat iarna si a copt vara; avea o greutate de peste 40 de kilograme; iubita lui tocmai se despartise de el; si, in general, cele mai dragi vise ale sale de viata - inclusiv sperante de sustinere a principiilor juridice idealiste si de a deveni judecator - pareau ca i-au alunecat dincolo de atingere. Apoi, in timpul unei plimbari disperate pe dealuri in ziua de Anul Nou, credinta ca viata lui ar putea deveni cel putin tolerabila daca, in loc sa se concentreze asupra a ceea ce nu avea, ar putea gasi o modalitate de a fi recunoscator pentru ceea ce a avut. Inspirat de o nota frumoasa si simpla, fosta sa iubita a trimis-o pentru a multumi El pentru cadoul sau de Craciun, John si-a imaginat ca ar putea gasi o modalitate de a se simti recunoscator scriind note de multumire.