The Mirror of Life Reflecteth Our Disposition

Life itself doth function as a mirror of exquisite truth, returning unto us in due measure the countenance we present before it; should we frown upon its visage, it shall frown upon ours with equal severity, yet should we offer unto it a smile of genuine gratitude and cheerful recognition, it shall return our greeting with warmth and reciprocal affection. The disposition we cultivate in secret, the thankful spirit we harbour for mercies both great and small, doth colour all our subsequent experience and shape the character of our days. Thus gratitude becometh not merely a polite convention of society, but rather a philosophical principle whereby we actively participate in the cultivation of our own felicity and peace.