Hi, Kristen. Thanks for sharing so openly. I think you are right on each of your lessons. 

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude for the past year. Even started a social network called Say Thanks Every Day - http://saythankseveryday.ning.com . I invite you to join us. It is a simple little group of people who want to explore the place of gratitude in their lives.

One of the things that has bothered me about the way gratitude is treated in our society is that it seems to be so focused on the person feeling grateful. I think we should be grateful, but genuine gratitude isn't about us. It is about what we feel about someone else. I've come to realize that gratitude's power isn't in how we feel. It is what it can do to our relationships. In order for being thankful to make a real, lasting difference, it needs to be mutual. I need to say thanks, and my expression needs to be received and returned in a thankful way. I wrote about this today at my blog - http://edbrenegar.typepad.com/leading_questions/2009/11/mutual-gratitude.html. I hope it will provide some inspiration for strengthening your relationships.

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

Ed