Learning Gratitude from Nature — A Christmas Reflection ...
- OakvilleJoe
- Dec 21, 2025
- 2 min read
As Christmas approaches, our hearts are drawn again to the birth of Christ and to Mary’s Song of Praise:
“My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:46-47, 49)
Mary’s response to God’s redemptive work was gratitude—deep, humble, and joy-filled. It is a fitting posture for this season, as redemption draws near and grace is freely offered to all who receive Christ with a repentant and humble heart.
Interestingly, gratitude is not expressed by humans alone.
An article by Nature Canada, “From Ravens to Dolphins: Nature’s Teachers of Gratitude” (December 8, 2025), [https://naturecanada.ca/news/teachers-of-gratitude/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=eNews&utm_content=eNews+-+December+2025+-+All+Activists&fbclid=IwY2xjawO1QGVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFhR1VvSk5EbHhLeGFZbHZFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoc_lSDmH4v94rpWJPxw_zxakU2Q2RD5uJtrdC25VozhSIDYHRaPIe15EL5r_aem_VXI_J2POqRvypbsqOMx9fQ]
reminds us that creation itself reflects gratitude in remarkable ways:
• Crows and ravens have been observed bringing small gifts to people who show them kindness—tokens of recognition and reciprocity. They even remember human faces and communicate kindness to others within their community.
• Dolphins share gifts such as seaweed, sponges, or fish with one another, strengthening social bonds through acts of generosity.
• Bison, honoured in Indigenous cultures, embody gratitude through the life they provide, teaching respect, balance, and thankfulness for sustenance.
• Wolves and lynx demonstrate mutual care and reciprocity within their packs, reminding us that thriving communities are built on shared responsibility.
If Creation—without words, institutions, or theology—can model gratitude, how much more should we, as people created in God’s image, respond with thankful hearts?
As we reflect on the closing of 2025, Christmas offers a sacred pause to give thanks:
• For life, health, and daily provision
• For work accomplished and lessons learned
• For opportunities to serve, create, and grow
• For moments of rest, play, and restoration
• For family, friends, colleagues, and all whose words and deeds have touched our lives
Above all, we give thanks for Christ—Emmanuel, God with us—whose coming brings hope, joy, and redemption.
May this Christmas season shape us into people of gratitude, humility, and joy, echoing Mary’s song and reflecting the quiet thankfulness written into all of creation.
Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, joyful, and thankful Christmas. ✨🎄🎁😊💖
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