Love takes birth from the womb of gratitude. Gratitude is an attitude that takes us to the threshold of Bliss. I need not question what I might get from developing such an attitude, as having the sense of gratitude is for what I have already got. I have to be grateful in every breath of my life for the rest of my life.
Honestly if I look back, the best of everything that I have has been provided even without me having to ask for it. This very life, as a human being, is a blessed bestowed upon me. It seems there is a force that understands what is good for me, much more than I understand it myself. And it is through gratitude alone that I evoke that force to work for me and with me.
Guru and his Shishya had been on a pilgrimage. They return back to their hermitage after a few months. As they were approaching, Shishya was disturbed to notice that half the roof had been blown away by the winds. He thought, “What is the use of going on a pilgrimage? God is so harsh on us. It is after so many months we return to the home to take rest and here we find half the roof missing. There is no proper shelter now.”
While he was busy cribbing mentally he noticed his Guru smiling. All of a sudden Guru went down on his knees and with his hand up in the air he said, “O Lord, your ways are unique. Knowing that we were sleeping under the sky during our pilgrimage, you have made our transition smooth by removing half of the roof.”
Shishya did not know how to react to the way the Guru was behaving. They settled in the hermitage and by the end of the day they spread their mat to sleep. Like it happens to any cribbing mind Shishya was feeling restless he could not sleep. Like it happens to any grateful mind the Guru effortlessly slipped into sleep. His face blossomed with peace even in sleep. The winds had built clouds and the clouds had turned into a downpour. Completely drenched and furious Shishya stormed out of the hermitage screaming, “It doesn’t make any difference whether inside or outside.”
Guru woke up and came out of the hermitage raised his hands above his shoulders gesturing gratitude, and started dancing in the rains. He prayed aloud again, “O Lord, your ways are unique. You knew we needed to take bath and to cleanse us you sent this divine shower.
Shishya approached his Guru and said, “Gurudeva, there is a limit to everything. You are thanking God for everything going wrong. I feel that it not right, why are you doing this?”
Guru stopped dancing and said, “Do you know something? I don’t even know if God is doing all this! I don’t even know if He knows what I am saying! All I know is my approach is keeping me happy and hence it is the right approach. Your approach is making you miserable and hence it is the wrong approach. The proof of right approach is in the happiness it delivers. Gratitude, for the known and the unknown factors of life, sustains happiness. Complaining and cribbing only create misery.”
Guru resumed his dance. Shishya contemplated on the words of his
Guru and understood that Gratitude is the way to Bliss. He joined his Guru in his dance. He lifted his hands and prayed aloud, “O Lord, your ways are unique. You have sent me a Guru to help me understand the subtle ways of life. I am grateful to you.”
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