Live in gratitude and don’t ever take gifts and blessings for granted. Keep nurturing what the good Lord has bestowed upon you.

When in doubt, look inwards and honestly count your blessings. We often grumble when things go wrong or when we get hurt. We are prone to crib about what we don’t have and forget to see what we already have. Comparing yourself with the good fortune of others is bound to bring a lot of misery in its wake. If you really want to get into that comparison mood then compare yourself with those who are less fortunate. A man who had just lost his job was sitting dejectedly in his balcony and watching people pass by when his eyes fell on a beggar who was rummaging through garbage for some food. The man in the balcony felt happy that at least he had enough to eat and was not reduced to what the beggar was doing. The beggar saw a one legged man who was hobbling around on crutches and felt happy that he had all his limbs intact. The one legged man saw a man being taken in a wheel chair and counted himself fortunate that he could at least move around on his own. The man in the wheel chair saw a hearse taking away a dead body and thanked God that he was alive.

So caught up are we in our daily chores, our worries, anxieties, tensions and problems that we hardly notice the magnificence and splendor around us. Make a very conscious effort to see something beautiful around you; just gazing at small beauties fills us with peace. Unless we do that we’ll continue to be caught in this web of anxiety. There is so much joy to be seen in the antics of children as they go about playing unmindful of the people around them. An excited dog on a leash dragging its owner, the crazy jump of a monkey from one tree to another, squirrels playing hooky pokey trying to dodge the prying eyes of human beings are all out there for you to enjoy. Just put the pause button on your routine, take time off to stand and notice; you’ll be filled with so much joy and peace. So start taking delight in little things and appreciate small blessings.

O Lord I thank Thee for this wonderful body which by itself is a miracle.
Thank you for this wonderful heart which beats day in and day out without rest with nary a complaint.
Thank you for this beautiful mind which makes me understand Thee and notice Thy hand in everything.
Thank you for these sturdy legs which take me from place to place enjoying Thy gifts.
Thank you for these strong hands which I can use to uplift others.
Thank you for these reliable shoulders on which others can lean and I can use for comforting them.
Thank you for these beautiful eyes which make it possible to see your miracles every day.
And above all, O Lord, thank you for this wonderful gift of life.
May I continue to follow the path shown by You and may I continue to serve Thee till my last breath.

Life teaches us invaluable lessons through our experiences and I treasure these. If I’ve been hurt, humiliated, shunned or sidelined I have grown that much stronger by learning precious lessons from them. If I’ve experienced spells of failures and disappointments, I’ve had my moments of sunshine too. But the best gift that experiences have given me is that I don’t commit the same mistake twice. They have taught me to overcome even the most difficult obstacles…

No one likes to be changed to suit the desires of others; they always want to be accepted as they are.