Happiness begins with Gratitude

Beginning our trip to Italy I wanted to reflect on a thought that I have been ruminating on for years and has only recently began to crystallize.  A week ago I was watching a Carlos Santana interview.  He is a pretty thoughtful guy not to mention a great guitar player an icon of the 60's and 70's,  He talked about a concept that rang completely true to me and it's been fermenting in my brain ever since.  Happiness begins with gratitude.  That in order for you to truly be happy that the foundation is built on gratitude.   That unless you are grateful for what you have, no matter how meager that you can never experience happiness.  I have been extremely lucky to have been raised by parents who loved me.  I think that this is something that they taught me maybe even inadvertently, but is something that I'm very conscious of every day.  The ability to travel, having a great wife and my health is a concept that I do not take for granted and is something that I think about every day