My November 2014 post, which I titled “Gratitude, for Gratitude,” generated a large number of responses. Interestingly, most were private, commenting on both the nature of gratitude but especially on my daily routine. I had detailed my regular set of activities in the morning, including meditation and the setting of three key priorities, and in the evening of reflecting on my performance with those priorities. Many folks mentioned that they had morning and perhaps evening routines, but said they had not thought about reflection—let alone intentional reflection.

My contemplation of those comments was brought into focus a bit when I came across a passage in the book Kurt Vonnegut: Letters (Dial Press, 2014), edited by Dan Wakefield. It's a fascinating, funny, and, since it’s Vonnegut, sometimes freaky book that takes you inside the mind of the famous author. The passage of import is a letter he wrote to his wife Jane, where he describes his daily routine.

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