You may have noticed that each day of your journal includes the prompt: “Someone to silently thank…”
For some, this practice might feel natural — even comforting. For others, it may feel like a lot. You might wonder how you’ll possibly think of someone new each day. And on some days, gratitude itself may feel inaccessible to you.
If that’s how it feels, a little context may help.
The idea behind this daily prompt weaves together two concepts, both rooted in Buddhist teachings — but present in other philosophies and cultures, too.
The first is loving-kindness, or simply wishing well for others. In traditional practice, this is practice we can extend to others, as well as ourselves. Some people prefer to begin with someone “easy” for us to wish well for like those we love. But we can also include strangers, and perhaps most powerfully - those we struggle with. It’s not always easy, but over time, it softens our edges and helps us feel more connected to people. So when sending a silent thank you to someone, feel free to add a wish for their wellbeing as well, such as “May you be happy. May you live in peace” Our 5 minute meditation also incorporates this practice.
The second concept this wish evokes is interdependence — understanding that our lives are quietly, and constantly shaped by other people. Sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes in ways we rarely notice.
Take your morning cup of coffee. It’s easy to overlook, but when we pause, we can trace the web of people involved in getting that cup to us:
The farmer who grew the coffee beans.
The workers who harvested them.
The people who transported them across oceans and borders.
The roasters who prepared them.
The grocer or café who stocked them.
The person who handed it to you this morning.
And that’s just one small moment in your day.
When we begin to notice the quiet, often invisible efforts of others — from the food we eat to the streets we walk to the technology we use — we start to see just how intertwined we all are. Gratitude, then, becomes about pausing to acknowledge the countless people whose labor, care, and presence ripple into our lives, often unseen.
So that is what this simple prompt invites — a small, daily moment to notice connection. To silently thank someone — known or unknown, near or far — and in doing so, to remind yourself: we are all connected. In fact, we are all part of something much larger unfolding all around us.