A Little History of ANG*L

Can cyberspace be sacred?  And can community
form in cyberspace?

A few years before the official launch of Gratefulness.org in November 2000, friends of Br. David Steindl-Rast started to recommend that he create a website with some of his writings.
On May 12, 2000, Brother David, Daniel Uvanovic, Terry Pearce and Gary Fiedel met in Portland, Oregon to launch a website whose purpose was “to create a community of gratefulness using the internet as a tool to bring people together.” 

They began putting this dream into action with the quest for a web address.  Several possibilities in line with Br. David’s work – like CommonSense.org and Belonging.org – were already taken, but no one had claimed Gratefulness.org.  So the focus of the website was serendipitous; but it soon became apparent that Gratefulness, celebrating the very gift of life itself, was a broad umbrella that could shelter the entirety of Br. David’s wide-ranging vision, as well as the expansive hopes for the world of those who came to work with him.

Br. David and Daniel – joined by award-winning web designer Linda Fisher whose work you see reflected in our Candles, the Angels of the Hours, and some of our early ecards – quickly dispensed with the idea of a website focusing on Br. David.  Instead, they started turning rituals common to many people – such as the meditative lighting of candles and the awareness of turning points in the rhythms of each day – into online features.  They immediately started talking not merely about being grateful, but about how to practice gratefulness one day at a time.  Aided by a generous start-up grant from Fetzer Institute which allowed the hiring of additional staff, they set out to answer two questions:  Can cyberspace be sacred?  And can community form in cyberspace?

These questions have been answered both quantitatively and qualitatively over time with a resounding yes.  Two months after the candle feature’s debut, people had lit more than 7,800 candles.   By 2010, we were approaching the 9,000,000 mark!  People from all over the world send us messages (like the ones you can read at the bottom of this page) testifying to both the inspiration and sense of belonging they find through our work.  As the work steadily grew, the staff came to feel strongly that it centered on more than a website; we wanted to build a Network for Grateful Living.  For a brief time, we called ourselves by the acronym NGL, until a friend misread these letters as ANGEL.  By drawing the “A” into the acronym, we became A Network for Grateful Living, or ANG*L, consistent with our understanding that an angel is any messenger who wakes us up to be more alive.

Gifts of photography and art, most notably from Br. David's lifelong friend Helen Siegl, started to pour in.  Our website features, practices, and topics continued to grow into those you see today.  Our education and support services came to include workshops, publications, and local gratefulness groups as well as the website.  The staff grew, shrank, and grew again according to our budget, which always remained remarkably reasonable since each of us works from our own homes and computers. 

Now almost entirely donor supported, we are proud to be able to offer contributors an opportunity to uphold free services that reach more than 18,000 people each day in more than 240 countries.  The essential aim of our site is to provide education and support for the practice of grateful living as a global ethic.  To live gratefully embraces several concepts at once:  Reaching beyond a sense of entitlement to appreciate the gifts we receive moment by moment; awareness of opportunities to serve a world in need; reverence for nature and for other people and their customs; and a commitment to live in the light of all we’ve been given – that is, fearlessly and therefore non-violently.  These attitudes take practice just like any other spiritual, athletic, or artistic commitment, be it yoga, meditation, tai chi, painting, writing poetry, tennis, golf, mastery of an instrument, or the many other skills to which we humans devote passion and energy.  We encourage people to commit to a daily practice of gratefulness, the benefits of which grow slowly and surely over time. 

We wish we could acknowledge here the thousands of people who have given their time and talents to this effort.  If you would like to get a feel for all the good-heartedness alive in the world, please take a look at the names of our Board members, staff, volunteers, and donors.  We are profoundly indebted to each of them.  Thank you for your own part in this effort, evident by your presence reading this piece all the way through to the end. 

Enjoy the quotes below, which are only the tiniest portion of those we receive every single day.  Please leave your own in our Visitor Book for us and others to see.

I have, for some time now, been atrociously disappointed in the human race. I remember life being beautiful as a child, but in the last few years its gotten uglier and uglier it seems. Today, I became ~~~AWED~~~ reading the comments and dedications with the candle-lighting ceremony. The need you have allowed to be expressed and filled, and the ensuing connection with Spirit that you have given space to here is nothing short of tremendous...and I have finally again glimpsed the beauty of being human that I had thought gone forever. THANK YOU.  Absolutely tremendous.   
— Nora

when i came across your site and saw a candle that i was to burn, the time stopped for me and the only thing i was desiring is happened and gratefulness to all people...
— umv, Dushanbe, Tajikistan  

fühle mich mit allen hier auf dieser Seite verbunden (I feel connected on this site with everyone) 
— Gerda, Belgium

I visit often, and immediately feel a sense of peace and calm in a troubled world. Thank you, and bless you. 
— Marion, U.K. 

This site was offered to me by a wonderful priest here in the finger lakes region of new york. He told me it was the best gift he could give me when i had come to him for spiritual guidance and though he offered so very much by way of advise and humor and support and comfort in my dire need, he was right: this web site has perhaps saved my very life if not my soul, which is more important! Thank you for everything. With deepest gratitude, gratefulness, and peace.
— Gail, New York  

Thank you for offering us this wonderful virtual place to reflect, to be in peace and express good thoughts for the universe. — Miriam, Brazil 

I have met so many nice, caring, tender-hearted people on the site. It warms my heart to know that there are still good, kind people out there. I thank you all for your sensitivity, honesty, and love. I wish you well, and also want to thank you for all the help your site has given me in my healing process after the death of my son Rob. You are wonderful. I one day hope that I can possess the qualities that you have so I can be as helpful to others as you have been to me.
— Lynn

It's tough witnessing so much suffering and violence, but that's the kind of work I signed up for, so I am really grateful to be able to share and be heard by people like your webteam who give such tremendous support.   I love being part of the gratefulness circle -  I feel empowered and protected by a global community.
— Lowie R., Afghanistan (for United Nations work)

I came to this site mainly trying to get 5 points extra credit for English. As I counted my blessings, clicked to give food, and see how I would fit in the 100 people village, I realized that I take advantage of so many things. I want to work toward living a life of humbleness, of humility, and donate to third world countries. I had one experience where I volunteered as a co-dance teacher for preschool girls and the money given by the parents for three ballet lessons all went to Sanctuary Home for orphans in India. Doing that was one step to helping others. I hope to do much more!
— Verity, Abilene, Texas  

A chain of love and friendship running through the hatred and disenfranchisement of the world. Thank you!
— Maria, Portugal

I have used your site for so many things lately and it is not very often that I find words as you find the words for me. The last thing I did was send some e-cards. They are so beautiful. I cannot wait for the receivers to receive them. I have not ever found a place like your site before because it speaks my language and it is always there for me in time of need. So I felt I must let you know the power of your site.  I've needed to do a lot of this work to share love and gratefulness to help those in need of a kind word or a kind thought and your site is like working directly with God. It is just the most miraculous thing. I thank you, for helping me help others and for being so pure in spirit.
— A.G., Denver, CO

Thank you for this site. I am here nearly each day, it is my church at the PC. Very helpful and comforting. I find the idea very progressive.
— Inga, Germany