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.

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.

Thank you God for always guiding me and holding my hand. I feel secure in the knowledge that you are always there and will not let me fall. I have the confidence that you will come to my rescue when the going gets rough or tough. I feel blessed to receive your unfailing love. Please always stay with me and lift me above petty jealousies as well as small living. I want to make you proud. Keep your light shining on me. Amen !!!

Even though we keep talking about counting our blessings, looking at brighter side of things, being positive and so on, do we really practice them when things fall apart at the seams? That is the time we crib and grumble the most. “Why me? Why this? Why that?” and so on are the questions uppermost in our minds. That is the time to remember God’s innumerable mercies and Blessings showered on us in the past. That is the time to practice what you have been saying so many times. Rekindle your faith and Hold on to Him. Remember that there are still things to be thankful for.

I pray to God to give you a happy life filled with compassion, kindness and peace. May joy never leave your door step. May your house always ring with the laughter of friends and family. May your good fortune increase day by day.

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.