79. 91. Gratitude.
# 91. Gratitude
Johnny prayed very sincerely to God to give him a hundred dollars for going on a picnic with his friends. Further he said his address loudly to God and with liberty, requested him to send the money to his house.
As he came to the church next day, he got angry with God saying, 'Why you have not sent yet?'
The preacher, who was appreciating Johnny's action, sent fifty dollars by money order from his own money to Johnny's house, duly writing, 'From God' in the money order coupon.
Next day evening, Johnny, who came to the church with signs of anger, told God, 'Next time when you send the money, don't send it through money order. They have taken 50 dollars as bribe in that post office and sent me only 50 dollars.'
- Man does not value what he has got. Not stopping with that, finding fault with what has been given and also taking up the man who gave it saying, 'Give me some more,' disrespecting what is already received, are all the qualities of persons who don't possess a sense of gratitude.
- Pineal gland is called the queen of glands. This is the one which creates in us the sense of well being and the sense of peace obtained by resting.
- There is direct relationship between pineal gland and Sahasrara Chakra (the crown chakra on the head which is an energy center in the body related to gratitude)
- The state of conscious feeling of 'Remaining with a sense of gratitude' makes the Sahasrara Chakra blossom. It will make pineal gland active.
- The expressions of the bad qualities of:
Ungratefulness, being disrespectful, showing scant regard to others, indulging in mockery – all these combine together and create emptiness in a person. They actually conceal his greatness. They also hide the greatness of others from him.
One small story.
In a church, they decided to build a new building.
A big businessman, who used to come to that church, made a decision 'I should be the first to give the donation for constructing the new building; the donation given by me should be the highest.' He wrote a cheque for two million dollars and gave it to the father in the presence of all.
The father, after reading the amount as two million dollars in the cheque, said very casually, 'Right, I accept it.'
For the merchant, who expected praise and applause from those assembled there, the action of the father incited anger in him.
With great distress in his mind the merchant thought, 'It is all right even if he did not praise me, at least he could have expressed his gratitude. He has not even given this any importance.' The merchant said, with an obstinate voice, 'That cheque is for two million dollars.'
The father calmly said, 'Mmm. I saw that.'
The merchant began saying, 'Of course, I am a wealthy merchant. Still, I think donating two million dollars is a very big thing.'
Laughing, the father said, 'You expect that I should express my gratitude for that right?'
The merchant said, 'Yes, yes. Should you not have done that?'
The father became grim and asked, 'In case, in the presence of all those people, I had thrown it away saying, 'You and your gift!'….
As the merchant did not expect such a reply, he became perplexed internally.
The father said, 'Firstly you should thank me actually, for my accepting your donation without insulting you in the presence of those people. Why did you not thank me? Think... At least let your ego get destroyed that way.' So saying harshly, the father moved away from there.
As he thought about it the whole day, the merchant came to understand every thing one by one.
He recollected about each and every one of those great minutes in which he had lived badly, without any sense of gratitude.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
He understood the truth that only for him to realize his mistake, the father had behaved with him in such a manner.
From that day onwards, he learnt to live respecting others fully in each and every thing he did. He accepted the philosophy of life.
A true lover would be happier that his lover has accepted his gift than buying the gift and presenting it to her, itself.
A true wife will be happy as long as her husband accepted and ate what she cooked with great relish and would not feel proud of her culinary skills.
A person who gives a gift truly, would feel happier only saying, 'Oh! They have accepted my gift.' Rather than talking proudly, thinking about the gift he has given.
Have you found out the common feeling that all the above three persons possess?
Yes! It is only the feeling of gratitude.
The feeling of the sense of gratitude is such a nice feeling that the man does not feel proud of his achievements and at the same time enjoys and experiences his achievements with happiness.
'Remaining with a feeling of gratitude' – This is a great meditation technique. Right from an ordinary pin up to the food we eat how many people would have spent their energy and time and toiled for these things to reach us.
Understand well one thing.
Whatever money you pay at the stores to buy various things, it can never compensate for the labour people have put in for making those things.
For some people, it may be rather difficult to accept this idea.
But you cannot deny what is going to be stated hereafter.
Think about the grace and mercy of the mid-wives who clinically assisted your mother, when you were born.
Instead of being compassionate if they had acted just out of a sense of duty or for the sake of money, you might have become lame by the hand or the leg.
For the mercy they showed on you, as a tender new-born child then, what can you give today in return?
You don't know even their faces.
For the humaneness and professional honesty of the mid-wives who have looked after an unknown you, whose face even they did not know before the delivery, who delivered you with no deficiencies, what can we give in return?
Even if we get an opportunity to see them, we can't give them any thing at all. At the most, we can give our sense of gratitude as an offering to them.
In the same manner, for those persons who have been responsible for you to get right from a pin up to the wheat flour, money is no compensation at all. Only the sense of gratitude can be a compensation for them.
The question may arise in your mind, 'What all you say is all right. What is the use of adopting this sense of gratitude?'
I will mention about the benefits obtained by adopting this sense of gratitude in life.
In case you like it, begin to adopt the sense of gratitude.
Benefits:
- Ego will not raise its ugly head.
- Psychologically harming others and also causing self-suffering due to pride and arrogance. This cruelty will not be staged.
- Your very face will blossom due to the gratitude you feel.
- When the sense of gratitude expresses itself, even without your knowledge, stiffness will loosen and immense joy will begin to be born.
- You will be a favorite of all your relations.
- What almost all persons expect from others is only the sense of gratitude.
If that particular thing which satisfies the expectation of others is available with you, then, satisfying others around you would become very easy.
The sense of gratitude is a comfortable feeling.
If we consciously remember to practice feeling grateful for every single thing in our life then we will lead a happy and comfortable life.
If the feeling of gratitude is implemented in practice, it will begin to be consciously understood that all that is stated above is true.
A meaningful incident.
In a Chinese University, a seminar was conducted on the subject, 'Which is our greatest wealth?' When a Tao speaker, who had come and attended the seminar, was requested to deliver the concluding judgment, he said:
'There is no wealth greater in this world than the maturity to be contented with what one has. Such a person will be many times more contented than a very wealthy person.'
- This is possible only for a person who possesses the sense of gratitude. Become a person filled with the sense of gratitude.
Meditation Chisels. Chisel No. 46.
### **Way to become a beloved of many….**
Have you seen an ugly child so far...?
Even at places where people below poverty line live a child is always beautiful. It is simple.
But can you see a beautiful, single grown up person?
True beauty is not simply looking beautiful. What comes from facial make-up is not true beauty.
The beauty that is seen on the face a child and on the face of an enlightened Master, who has attained a 'beyond mind' state, are all blooming in appearance. It is natural. It is not just beauty. It is grace. It is an expression of energy.
True beauty is grace. And grace will not be boring. It will not vex the mind and consciousness. It is capable of making the mind peaceful.
Artificial beauty is a false one. A vexatious one.
When the child becomes an adult, its beauty is wiped away. Face becomes tight.
What is the reason?
Have you thought about it?
Pineal gland which makes the man happy like a flower in full bloom, functions in the most correct manner in the children. Its expression is beauty.
At all those times when people talk to others with a sense of gratitude and respect, have you observed their faces becoming a little more beautiful?
Without stopping the feeling of gratitude with mere words, expressing it with your facial expressions and body language... is a meditation technique which will penetrate deep into life and work very deeply.
When you express your gratitude through body language, pineal glands will function actively and your tightness will break.
It will make your face blossom. It will add melody to your voice. In short, it will change you as a pleasant personality. You will become a favorite of many.
From today, may the times people help you become times for gratitude meditation.
As far as possible, express your gratitude through body language, facial expressions and words.
Life will become successful.