Drink in the Tonic of Gratitude

It is a sad fact that many people spend most of their lives waiting for disasters to strike. We need to cultivate the belief that the universe is friendly, that life is benevolent, that good things will happen to us and that even if bad things happen, they can make us better and wiser

Gratitude is appreciation; gratitude is goodwill; gratitude is a benevolent and warm feeling for someone who has helped us, been good to us in one way or another

Once, a man asked me, “Have you ever had a sleepless night?” I said, I have indeed. There are days when the body is overworked, fatigued and so exhausted that sleep eludes us. I’m sure all of us have gone through this experience at one time or another and I am no exception. “I’ll tell you what you can do to overcome sleeplessness,” he said to me enthusiastically and added, “You must count sheep.”

“I think I have a better method, my friend,” I replied with a smile and said, “I count my blessings instead.”

Indeed, I find I have so much to be grateful to God for—the great gift of this human birth; my wonderful parents who brought me into this beautiful world and sowed seeds of character in my plastic mind; the members of my family, my brothers and sisters; my loving kind friends and above all my beloved Master and Mentor, Sadhu Vaswani, whose grace has been the most inspiring influence on my life.

When I count my blessings, I keep on thanking the Lord. This induces the marvellous and restful feeling that God is in His heaven and all is well with this world. The Zen Master, Ling Chi, said that the real miracle is not to walk on water, in the air, or on burning charcoal, but just to walk on earth. How wonderful for us to stop and breathe in the awareness that the world is a beautiful place; that being alive is a vital, joyous experience; and that life is the greatest miracle of all.

It is a sad fact that many people spend most of their lives waiting for disasters to strike. We need to cultivate the belief that the universe is friendly, that life is benevolent, that good things will happen to us and that even if bad things happen, they can make us better and wiser.

Have you ever come upon a field full of flowers? Have you got up to watch the glorious sunrise that happens morning after morning?

Have you felt the gentle breeze brush your face and ruffle your hair?

Have you inhaled the scented night air and looked at the moon and stars with awe and wonder?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself at such moments, what have I done to deserve these marvellous gifts? The answer is that none of us ever did anything to earn these gifts nor do they make demands upon us for return or repayment. They are just there; they are ours for the asking.

In polite circles, it is expected that people say “Thank you” for every little thing others do for their benefit. People thank waiters who serve them in restaurants. The senior executive thanks his secretary who organises his appointments. We thank the telephone operator who gets us the connection we seek. Even the disembodied voices on the answering machines of banks and business enterprises thank us for calling them.

Expressing one’s gratitude is considered a mark of politeness, courtesy and good breeding. Is it not fitting then, that we extend such politeness and courtesy to God who has given us so much to be grateful for?

Let not your gratitude stop with words. Gratitude is appreciation; gratitude is goodwill; gratitude is a benevolent and warm feeling for someone who has helped us, been good to us in one way or another. But, our gratitude must not stop with words alone. It must be expressed through actions or it will remain superficial.

God supplies our every need and always keeps us under His divine protection. This awareness will help us to feel grateful to God at every step and in every round of life.

To express this spirit of gratitude in the best possible way, we must utilise our God given gifts as best as we can. Our body, mind, senses and intellect are amazing gifts, and we need to put them to the best possible use.

Consider a young man whose father has given him a sophisticated and advanced computer. He thanks his dad, of course. But he uses his computer to play mindless games and nothing more. Is this really the spirit of gratitude?

Let us learn to translate our thanksgiving into action. Let us use our God-given gifts to promote unity, harmony, peace and joy in this world. Only then are we truly thanking our Creator for this marvellous gift of human birth.