Diana Butler Bass, American historian of Christianity, author of eleven (soon to be 12) books, and advocate for progressive Christianity offered two public lectures this week as part of the Atlantic School of Theology Alumni Homecoming Reunion. Her lectures were on the subject of Gratitude. The title of her last book is Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks.
I will be thinking about some of the things I heard for some time, and will offer a few teasers later in the blog. Some members of the Faith Study have suggested a summer book club, and I am thinking that it might be a great selection. I notice on her website that there are several different study and discussion guides, which is always a bonus. I think it could also compliment one of the named priorities for the coming year which is Stewardship.
First … I will tell you what I am grateful for this week. The above picture is my Polar Ice Machine. Usually around $400, I got it “free” with the $2,000 brace that I got for my knee last year.
It hadn’t been out of the box until about two weeks ago. I was just too overwhelmed at the time with getting used to all the elements of the brace to manage yet another contraption, with its big manual and attachments and gadgets. It just looked too confusing. Besides … my knee wasn’t bothering me.
Then the flare up hit last month. When I finally got in to see my long time physiotherapist, she took one look at it before she began the acupuncture. “That’s really swollen … you really should be using the ice machine.” Well, that was the shaming that I needed. But even Pat, who can figure anything out, couldn’t figure this one out. So the next week I gently explained that we couldn’t figure out how to work the thing. Then she suggested one of the brace specialists could offer me a little hands on tutorial.
I am a hands on learner. Exactly what I needed.
The idea is that ice (or ice packs) and water go into the cube, everything gets hooked up, plugged in, wrapped around a body part, and turned on … and ice water circulates in the pad along with compression. I have to say … it didn’t take long before I was hooked. It felt amazing. The idea is that you can withstand this much longer than a regular ice pack. Even up to an hour or more.
I am pleased to report that on my next visit to the physiotherapist she said “oh … the swelling has gone down.” Sometimes, it takes me a year to finally catch on to something good.
Back to gratitude and feeling grateful. I really didn’t know quite what to expect, not having read Butler Bass’ latest book. What is there left to say about gratitude and being grateful? It’s a good thing, right?
Well, yes and no. Over the course of the two evenings, Butler Bass took us on quite journey. From a soft beginning about how we express gratitude, to some of the more subversive aspects of gratitude as a spiritual practice, I became more and more engaged. This is an excerpt from her website at
Grateful: The Subversive Practice of Giving Thanks | Diana Butler Bass
“Although most of us know that gratitude is good — and good for us — there is a gap between our desire to be grateful and our ability to behave gratefully. The implications of the gap are bigger than we realize, affecting both our personal and public lives. In Grateful, Bass weaves together social science research, spiritual wisdom, and contemporary issues as she calls for a richer understanding and practice of gratitude. What emerges are surprising insights about the power of thankful living to change how we treat one another, and how we might transform our world.”
I will be processing and thinking about this in the days to come and I don’t think you have heard the last from me about this. In the meantime, I will be plugged in and attached to my polar ice machine whenever I have the opportunity. And feeling grateful.
