On Mother’s Day, May 8 2016, Facebook rolled out a new “reaction” emoji: a lovely purple flower that indicates thankfulness.

I truly think this is the best thing since sliced bread, and it should not be available just for Mother’s Day.

Facebook is a powerful, global, social meeting place. It’s where we go to take a break from work, to connect with friends, hang out, see what’s going on, and express our views.

Facebook has become the world’s water cooler.

I understand that the thankful emoji roll out on Mother’s Day may have been intended to help people say thanks to their mothers. You will get no argument about that from Mother Rebecca, that’s for sure. I am all for it.

But I hope that Facebook will keep this emoji as a permanent option, beyond just Mother’s Day.

If we owe thanks to our mothers for bringing us into the world and helping us stay here, surely we owe even more thanks to the ultimate Source and Creator of all, who created not only us, not only our parents, but literally, everything.

Research shows that a majority of the world’s people believe in God. But even if you are among those who are not convinced of the existence of an all-powerful creator, surely the evidence of your senses convinces you of the reality of creation…. which in itself is something to be thankful for.

What are the chances that this exact planet would be here, with gravity to keep us grounded, air for us to breathe, water to wash us, fire to keep us warm and help us see in the dark and cook our food while we sit around telling stories?

What are the chances that we ourselves would exist, let alone be able to walk, talk, think and communicate with each other?

The more one contemplates the complex interweaving of creation, the more amazing it seems. (In fact, don’t contemplate it too much, or your brain will start reeling).

On Mother’s Day, as Facebook reminded us, it’s important to be thankful to those who helped us get here and get ourselves established and know right from wrong and eat our vegetables and know which way is up.

But beyond Mother’s Day, it’s important to be thankful ALL day, EVERY Day.

For everything around us, and within us, and between us, and among us… and for how amazing it all is: it’s important to say “thank you”.

Thank you.

It is not only the scriptures of all religions that encourage thankfulness as one of the most important sentiments we can express. A growing body of scientific research also shows that thankfulness benefits us in a host of ways ranging from improved physical and mental health, to improved relationships, to better results in all areas of life.

And even when being thankful can’t or doesn’t change the outer reality of something that has happened in our lives, it changes our response and reaction to it, for the better.

Since I’ve been focusing on thankfulness, I imagined that Facebook’s new emoji was inspired by those thoughts, in a kind of “hundredth-monkey” effect where ideas pick up speed and spread as more people focus on them.

Imagine the power of people all over the world, focusing on thankfulness at the touch of a button.

Peole expressing their thankfulness to each other, and about each other, and for things that happen in their own and their friends’ and family’s lives would multiply the energy of thankfulness, and help it grow, and spread.

So when you think about how often we all turn to Facebook for fun, relaxation, connection, communication, relief from boredom or loneliness, etc.….being able to express thankfulness at the touch of a button is a good thing. It sets up a vibration of thankfulness and spreads it around the world.

When you think of all the benefits that being thankful provides, thankfulness going viral is a very good thing, and truly something to be thankful for.