“Gratitude turns what
we have into enough.” 
Aesop

It has been almost eight years since the publication of my first book, A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude. This book launched a series of speaking engagements on the topic of gratitude to high school teachers at The Harker School, nurses at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, young adults at the YMCA Youth Leadership Development Conference in Morgan Hill, and a variety of other schools, churches, and senior living facilities. The speaking engagements came to an abrupt halt in March 2020 when the pandemic hit.

In the years since 2020, I’ve written and published five more books, the most recent being Through the Lens of Gratitude. This book, like my first one, contains fifty brief stories of gratitude followed by a few questions to encourage readers to reflect on gratitude in their own lives. I am just now getting back to giving talks and retreats on the importance of not only feeling grateful, but expressing our gratitude for the many blessings in our lives. As William Arthur Ward once wrote, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

I was a little surprised to receive a new review of my first book this past week. As I mentioned, it’s been almost eight years since it was published, yet it continues to sell nationwide. This review was written by book publisher Abbie Simire in July 2025.

“I discovered that this book is a gentle but powerful reminder to shift readers’ perspective from focusing on what’s lacking to appreciating what’s present. What stood out to me most is how you don’t just talk about gratitude in theory, you share real heartfelt stories that quietly move readers and inspire reflection. It’s something readers can return to daily whether as a morning ritual or an evening reset. It’s beautifully suited for readers who enjoy mindful living, spiritual reflection, or self-help literature focused on emotional well-being.

“The true gift of this book is how it encourages readers to practice gratitude actively and consistently. In a world that often pushes us to chase more, A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude invites readers to simply stop and say, “Thank you.” I believe readers will walk away with a more grounded, peaceful mindset and a stronger urge to express thanks, both inwardly and outwardly.” 

Abbie was urging me to be more proactive in marketing my books to significantly increase sales. While I am grateful for her encouragement, the cost of doing so is prohibitive. I did not write these books with the intention of making money. I wrote them to simply share my own gratitude for the many people, gifts, and opportunities with which I have been blessed, and to encourage others to do the same. 

“The more you practice gratitude, the more you see how much there is to be grateful for.”  ~ Seneca