Thank You!
“I was complaining that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” The first time I came across this quote I was still in school but it had a very profound effect on me — all the more profound because of the timing I think. I was stunned by a beautiful pair of shoes and was obstinately determined to have them. While I could see nothing beyond having those shoes, this quote came my way! Would you believe that?
The quote is by Helen Keller — a personality most worthy of mention. A deaf and blind person herself, she was the first such person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. I have not delved too much into her life, but if she could find something to live for and inspire others to live then I’m sure we cannot have too much to complain about.
Adversity strikes everyone — it really does. No one, absolutely no one is averse to it. It comes in all shapes and sizes and I for one believe that the more one is adept in it’s handling the more adverse his circumstances are. That is not to say that he never sees a sunny day, just that while it may drizzle on my roof, there maybe a hailstorm over his!
Then again “Every Cloud has a Silver lining.” It is the responsibilty of our good selves to be able to recognise it. Actually more than a responsibility it is a choice we deliberately ought to make — whether we want to cry victim and do nothing about it or see the situation for what it is and be grateful for what it isn’t. This gratitude is the silver lining on every cloud and I like to believe it exists for everyone, no matter how undesirable one’s situation might be. Like there is always room for improvement there is always scope for things to get worse, don’t believe me? Ask your imagination!
A dear friend and guide of mine refers to gratitude as an “anchor frame”. He insists that each one of us must have one. It must be a framework well defined and relevant enough for one to fall back on in times of hopelessness and drudgery. But why must we have one or why must we practice gratitude in the first place?
The mind gets better at doing what it does more often. Sulking is never a solution to any problem. If anything, it is only a barrier between you and the solution. Gratitude on the other hand, as the word also suggests is an attitude, a positive one at that. To be able to see something positive in an adverse situation and be able to build on it is a quality of a truly resilient person.
Count your blessings — it is a phrase we hear so often. In these exceptional times when most of us are confined to our homes and the company of few or none, it becomes very important to be able to just do that, for every challenge is an opportunity. By finding what we can be thankful for, we push the envelope and see beyond the problem. Maybe this is an opportunity to spend time with family — think of ways to engage with family, maybe it is an opportunity to do some work on the self — learn how to medidate perhaps. Maybe it is an opportunity to upgrade your skills — think of which skill you’d like to learn or update.
DISCLAMIER: One must not look towards gratitude only in times of adversity either. Even when everything is going well for you, you must thank your support system and your belief system for making it so. The mind gets better at doing what it does more often, remember?
For the longest time, in my head I confused gratitude with arrogance. I used to wonder if thinking about all that I have, would make me full of myself and perhaps arrogant. Over time I’ve realised that while arrogance is outwards, gratitude is inwards. Gratitude keeps me grounded, arrogance makes me larger than life. I thank God each day for everything I have been blessed with and pray each day for the same tomorrow if not better. Had I been arrogant, I would thank my ego for it and make a big deal about my seemingly great life.
Time and again we hear stories of extraordinary people who step upon some mishap in life. In times like these I often ponder about the temporary state of success and fear consequences. In these times gratitude works as a soothing balm to the mind. It reassures me of my blessings and encourages me to move on with life with renewed faith.
Gratitude is an acknowledgment of what one has. It is respect for what has been achieved and as far as I know life- PROSPERITY DEMANDS RESPECT. If nothing else, one can always feel grateful for the very gift of life!
Remember that day when you had a terrible headache, just a headache and how miserable it made your day? Well today you can be grateful for feeling absolutely fine! We are so used to our “normal” lives that we often take it’s normalcy for granted. To cultivate gratitude we could consider visiting old age homes, hospitals and orphanages once a while. There is so much misery in this world, My own misery is now so less. Just like I complained about having no new shoes, until I saw a man with none, literally.
THANK YOU, WHILE I WISH THAT THIS ARTICLE IS READ BY AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, I AM GRATEFUL THAT AT LEAST I HAVE AN AUDIENCE IN YOU. IT IS A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN WITH, A GOOD ANCHOR FRAME!
