People take life for granted, hence there is no gratitude in them. And without gratitude there is no growth, without gratitude there is no religion, without gratitude there is no prayer.
Religion begins in gratitude and ends in gratitude. It is a journey from gratitude to gratitude. But the most fundamental fact is that life should not be taken for granted. We have not earned it, it is a gift. Some unknown force, some mysterious force has given you the most valuable thing. And once this feeling becomes crystallized in you, u, you are not very far away from gratitude.