"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice."

– Meister Eckart

J. Ellsworth Kalas wrote the book, "I Bought a House on Gratitude Street." Maybe you’ve read it. I plan to buy it and read it as an early Christmas present to myself. I was introduced to the story through my early-morning devotion the other day and had to find out more about this street called "Gratitude."

"Some years ago I bought a house on Gratitude Street," writes Kalas. "I can’t say when I made the purchase, because getting this house wasn’t like signing a conventional contract…. But of this I am absolutely sure, that I never intend, ever again, to live anywhere else."

That must be one heck of a street. I hear the people that live on Gratitude Street have all kinds of wonderful things happen to them. Many people who live there write in this thing called a gratitude journal, which supposedly can increase your long-term wellbeing by more than 10 percent.

Wow. Each day they just write down stuff for which they are thankful. It takes only minutes and from what I can tell, the people living on Gratitude Street are living longer, better, happier and healthier lives. I have got to get directions to this street.

Everyone on Gratitude Street seems to be very friendly, too. They have wonderful relationships, better marriages, are more trusting and very social. This reminds me of the street I grew up on as a young boy, but then we moved.

Apparently people that live on Gratitude Street have less sickness and health issues, and when they do get sick they keep pressing onward. It’s almost as though they are thankful for what ails them and then miraculously feel better. Do you think there is something in the water?

I wonder what kinds of jobs people have that live on Gratitude Street. I read that everyone is very happy with their work. And although they may not make a lot of money, they really excel at what they do. And many improve their positions over the years and achieve their career goals. Does anyone have a map to this street please?

I ran into some folks that are planning to move to Gratitude Street, and I was amazed to see how optimistic they were. They were full of energy and self-esteem, but they were also humble and not materialistic at all. I think I would like to be friends with them if I ever move to Gratitude Street.

You know I have been having a hard time sleeping lately, and someone told me the people living on Gratitude Street have increased sleep quality. Because they rest so well at night, they are also more productive during the day. Jeepers, I need to start packing.

Some very famous people have lived on Gratitude Street. Albert Einstein said this about Gratitude Street: "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."

This is what Confucius said about living on Gratitude Street: "I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet."

I think my favorite person who lived on Gratitude Street was Helen Keller. She said, "So much has been given to me; I have no time to ponder over that which has been denied."

It’s time to move. Gratitude Street is a great place my friends!

Contact him at 912-531-7867 or SeniorMomentsWithRich@gmail.com.