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According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the word ‘gratitude’ and its meaning as we know it today, the state of being grateful : thankfulness, originated in the mid 15 century; its etymology comes from Medieval Latin gratitudinem (nominative gratitudo) "thankfulness," from Latin gratus "thankful, pleasing". 

The month of November, and the Thanksgiving holiday conveniently bring this word into our daily lives as a reminder of the importance of practicing gratitude. This Harvard Health Publishing article cites positive psychology research stating that the practice of gratitude can act as a path to leading a happier life: “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships”.

Research as well as experiential data concur that the practice of gratitude brings immense benefits to strengthen our relationships. Aditi Subramaniam, PhD in this Psychology Today article, while discussing the paradox of gratitude, cites a 2023 meta-analysis that found that simple gratitude practices, like journaling or writing letters, lead to measurable, if modest, increases in happiness. 

If you are interested in exploring further on gratitude and its practice, SCPL has many books for all ages on gratitude. Explore our catalog on the topic of gratitude here.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our patrons and the Santa Cruz community for their unwavering support. I am thankful for your generosity in taking the time to give Santa Cruz Public Libraries your input through our Strategic Planning survey and focus groups. As we are just getting started on this process, one of the items that is abundantly clear is that this community loves their libraries. Our community is our reason to be and we are extremely thankful for the love and support of our community.

We are grateful to serve you!

Director of Libraries

 Mensaje del Director de Bibliotecas

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