Gratitude at the Bistro

The root of joy is gratefulness… It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful – Brother David Steindl-Rast
I have never interviewed a single person who talks about their capacity to experience joy who does not actively practice gratitude– Brené Brown
For several weeks we at Bistro To-Go have been hosting Bistro family breakfasts on Fridays. During this time, employees and friends of the Bistro gather around tables to share a meal together. It is a beautiful thing to see the many different faces that make up the Bistro family sharing food and conversing with one another. While the daily grind of working in a restaurant provides plenty of opportunities for our differences to surface, sharing a common meal has a way of transcending those differences and bringing us together.

In addition to sharing a common meal, we have also used this time to practice gratitude. Every week each of us is given an opportunity to share something we are thankful for. While this practice began as a way for us to have meaningful conversation, it occurs to us that intentionally practicing gratitude has also caused us to press pause for a moment and be reminded that life is a gift. What we have learned as people have shared is that 1) everyone is thankful for something and that 2) our practice of gratitude has produced joy – even if only momentarily. But our hope is that, as the Bistro family continues to gather for breakfast each Friday to share a common meal and express what it is we are thankful for, we will grow in our capacity to both receive joy and share it with others. For us, this can only be a positive step forward as the Bistro seeks to be a joyful presence in our community.

What are some of the ways that you – our extended Bistro family (for whom we all are so thankful!) – practice gratitude?