Gratitude 1

The approach I find most compelling is prescribing gratitude to our patients. This idea could be useful
when providing care to a patient with an extended stay or chronic illness. It is something that requires no
medical intervention but could have a drastic impact in improving a patient’s mood, which can in turn
improve their hospitalization and outcome of their condition. Any intervention we can use as nurses to
heal our patients is worth considering and implementing to test if it is effective in our own practice.

I am grateful for my mom cooking a great meal on Labor Day. She has always been a phenomenal chef
and I am grateful to have grown up with high quality food at my childhood home and when I am back
visiting. My mom’s cooking has set a strong precedent that has allowed me to hone my own cooking
skills, while having someone to discuss recipes and techniques with.

I am grateful for my dad and his desire to travel. Over the summer we went to many different countries
and experienced a wide variety of lifestyles and cultures. This exploration was possible because of my
dad, and I am grateful he has the desire and ability to see the world with me. I am grateful for the
memories we made, and I am grateful that I am able to continue making them in the future.

I am grateful for my dog who provides me with incredible companionship and purpose even on days off.
He is a constant source of amusement and always greets me by bounding over to say hello. Without him
my life would be missing a large source of joy and sense of responsibility. I am grateful he grew into a
very sweet boy who has improved my life taught me how to properly care for animals.

Hey Sean, I agree with your comments on appreciating the things that are going right. In our practice
there will surely be difficult patients and things will not go as planned, but if we focus on the positives,
we might see that even a worst-case scenario contained some good. Being able to see the positive in a
negative situation will also help with identifying what went right and ensure those same or similar
beneficial conditions occur if that situation should happen again. Recognizing the good can even lead to
a solution to the problem that can prevent a negative situation from spiraling into a worst case scenario.

Gratitude 2

The aspect that resonates with me most within this article is the value placed on experiences rather than
material goods. I have always found my experiences more important to me than the things I bring back
from those trips. It is easier to be grateful for a unique experience that I can consistently reflect on than
an object which eventually blends into part of the background. I find it interesting that the article
mentions gratitude as being able to draw out our best selves. Through my travel experiences I have come
to appreciate the things I have and improve on any shortcomings I find in my home life. The experiences
I have give me a deeper understanding of the greater world and shows me how to live a better life while
being grateful for the small things I can take for granted.

Thank you, Dave Filoni, for your continued work improving the struggling Star Wars franchise. Balancing
monetary responsibility to Disney and public approval from fans is not easy, but I am thrilled to see that
you are succeeding where many have failed. You have proven yourself to truly care for your work and
that is something to be admirable of. I am grateful for the joy your stories have brought to my life and
the entertainment they have provided. Without your help, a universe I love dearly would have continued
to decline. For this I say thank you.

Thank you to America’s truckers. Your consistent effort has allowed us to receive food, medicine, shelter,
and every aspect of modern life. The task of maintaining a nation would be impossible without your
journeys across vast distances. To travel thousands of miles from your home must be difficult. Your
sacrifice for our betterment is worthy of admiration. Through your work you supply communities and
organizations and, much like nurses, your work ensures the health and prosperity of us all.

Hey Sean. I also found the explanation of adaptation causing us to become accustomed to good things in
life to be very compelling. This aspect of human nature is both a benefit and a curse and displays how we
have always wanted to explore and change. I am also glad that you had a good time this summer
experiencing more and adding meaningful memories to your life. The most important things we have are
our experiences. They shape and mold us into who we are and who we will become. Our possessions are
a good way to display our personality, but they do not cause us to grow.

Gratitude 3

My main walk this week took me towards main campus after class. I haven’t been back on campus in
years, so it was interesting to explore and see the updated and newly completed buildings. While I do
enjoy main campus, I think I am most thankful for the fact that the medical colleges are on their own
campus. The separation from main campus helps to shelter us from solicitors and other things that take
away from the academic ambiance. The university has a fun atmosphere, but I doubt I would have
enjoyed the ruckus when heading to practical exams during second or third semester. I am grateful that
the sun was getting low, and the shade made for a comfortable environment. One of my favorite
buildings on campus is the planetarium. For a long time, I wanted to be an astronomer and have always
loved learning about the far reaches of space. It was nice to think on that past and I am grateful that I
still have a fascination for our sea of stars.

I am grateful for the little coincidences that form our lives. On my walk I went to the turtle pond to the
west of Old Main. It is a strange location for a turtle pond, but this tiny oasis was one of my favorite
discoveries when I lived on campus. As I arrived, I was greeted with the sign of a stack of turtles, one on
top of the other. I wonder how they got into this position. Did someone place the other turtle on top?
Did the big turtle emerge from the water with the smaller on its back? Did the smaller climb up? Either
way I am grateful for the turtles and their strange and amusing behavior.

As I walked and enjoyed the changes to main campus, I noticed these little food robots. This was the first
time I had seen these in person and observing them was fun. These little innovations make me grateful
for the time and place in which I live. Having a robot that just delivers food is a frivolity that is only
possible because of our level of technological advancement. This little robot’s computers and parts
represent the culmination of thousands of years of human ingenuity. I am grateful that we have the
prosperity and security to create these things that make our lives a little easier.

Hey Joseph, I understand your appreciation for the sights at the end of a hike. The views are always the
best reward after a difficult journey. The quiet peace of a still landscape is a rarity in modern life, and
hiking is one of the easiest ways to connect with nature and enjoy the world around us. Our desert
environment can be harsh but an overcast sky, like the one in your picture, certainly helps with shielding
from the heat and sun.

Gratitude 4

Dear Grandpa,

Thank you for everything you have done for me. Even though we were not able to spend much time
together you are probably the most influential person in my life. Through your work, our family has been
able to prosper, and because of you I am able to live a life I am grateful for. Moving up to Oregon to help
care for you during high school has led to a level of academic success I would have never achieved
otherwise. Assisting in your care after your strokes was my catalyst for considering healthcare as a
profession. Thank you for guiding me towards this great professional path. In our brief moments you
showed me strength and independence, and a goal to aspire to. You have provided me with security and
the hope of greater prosperity in my future. I imagine you would be proud of how I am conducting my
life. I know you at least supported my decision to go to the U of A, I wonder what you would have
thought about nursing, but I’m fairly certain you’d approve. Even though you are gone, you are not
forgotten. I still have some of your things in my room that help to remind me of you. Your legacy lives on
in everything I have and everything I will achieve.

After writing this letter I realized that it has been a while since I felt grateful for my grandfather. Even
mementos that used to remind me of him have been mentally incorporated into the backdrop of my
room. It is easy to forget things when life gets busy, I hope I am able to look on pictures and items with a
renewed sense of reverence.

Hey Ethan, I like your post. It’s great that your grandfather was able to be such an influential figure in
your life. I can relate to that and understand the impact a grandparent’s legacy can have on their family.
It is so valuable to have a capable person to learn from when you are young, and it seems you had a
good instructor. I’ve seen your animal handling skills firsthand so it’s cool to understand where that
comes from. You’re a great guy and if your grandfather was an inspiration, I’m sure he was a great guy
too.