James Lucas is the author of 24 published books on a wide range of topics: Leadership, ethics, passion and commitment, organizational culture, national ideals, relationships, parenting, dealing with suffering and pain, theology, and (just to be outside of any box) several novels. His books have been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, English (for India), and Arabic.
It appears more and more that gratitude and appreciation are becoming scarce, while complaints and discontent have become commonplace in our day-to-day experiences. It also seems that we as human beings have a bent toward recalling and dwelling on the negative events of life, while taking for granted and forgetting the many positive happenings. This book uncovers a surprising remedy to this damaging, debilitating tendency.
Author James Lucas gives us a window into his pilgrimage in practicing the art of gratitude. He takes us on a journey to understand what genuine gratitude looks like. He describes how it transforms not only the lives of the recipients, but also the lives of the givers. He shows the way to discover how gratitude can be practiced in so many ways, from small actions that take only a few seconds, to larger ways that may take a bit of playful creativity.
Lucas does this with real-world accounts of his own journey that can be easily applied to the reader’s life. He complements this with examples from many areas of life, and with wonderful quotes from a fascinating mix of people past and present. He starts us off with the startling proposition that nobody owes anybody else anything. And then he takes us in the other just-as-startling direction by describing what he calls the “art of being amazed by everything.”
If you’re ready to be a stealth change agent that who can make others’ lives a little bit better, and in return find that your own life is a lot better, then this book is for you. And if you’re looking for a way out of personal discouragement, disappointment or resentment, then this book is the perfect place to begin your own fresh start to the startling impact of giving and receiving appreciation.
James deeply appreciates good work, small victories and the friends who celebrate them, second chances, mistakes that become lessons, and life’s many opportunities to be on the side of the angels. He is thankful for freedom, everyday courage, unbreakable loyalty, clear and kind honesty, times of healing and better health, a just-in-time word of encouragement from friend or family, and all of the little things that are really big things in disguise. Last but not least, he is grateful for peaceful days, sunsets, falling snow, the sound of rain, multihued lakes, beaches and calming waves, majestic peaks, redbuds in spring, humor, satire, good food, chocolate, and you!