It is always wiser and healthier to be thankful for what is given rather than to complain what is not given. One or the other becomes a habit of life. Happiness comes when we stop wailing and complaining about the troubles we have, and offer thanks for all the troubles we don't have. If we are not grateful for the good things that we have, we would not be happy with what we wish we had.

Be grateful and never forget that the highest appreciation we could show when we express our gratitude is not only to utter words but also shown in our actions and to live by them.  A wise teacher demonstrated these virtues in a narrative beautifully written by Michael Josephson.

Choosing to be positive and having a grateful attitude is going to determine how you're going to live your life.—Joel Osteen

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.-–Charles Dickens

We would understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.

Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many of us adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

By Tim Pedrosa

 

To whom much is given, much is expected. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. - Unknown

Tim