Very well put. It's why I appreciate religion-done-right if it
   has a gratitude focus. It's not absolving responsibility (that's
   an abuse of the systems) but allowing yourself to be grateful
   and appreciative.

   Framed in religious terms, it may be God.
   Framed in psychological terms, it may be the self.

   But from a pragmatic point of view, there's no real difference.
   If it helps, it helps, and I believe gratitude is part of a
   basic core of a psychologically healthy individual.