This week, Kriyabans from the Assisi Institute share aspects of the spiritual life as Isha Das turns to other work on our behalf. Today’s passage comes from Jackie Eustis.
When I was a kid, my mother used to tell me, “Be thankful for what you have,” especially during times when I wasn’t being especially thankful. Sometimes, probably more often than not, mom would also say to me, “You’re never satisfied; you always want more!” Ouch! That hurt, but it was true. Who doesn’t want more? I was an average kid growing up in the 60’s and 70’s. I was grateful for a particular item until a new and better one came along. If you asked me during those formative years if I was a grateful kid, I would have told you of course I was. After all, I said please, thank-you, excuse me, and so on. I was polite, but was I truly grateful?
How have I learned to have gratitude in life? It was not during moments of having more. It was during moments of having less or nothing at all. More often than not I learned gratitude during critical times when my loved ones have been faced with heart-wrenching health problems. Along the way, I learned that the non-tangible gift of good health was one of the most important aspects of life. Today, I can realize that if we have our health, nothing else can compare. And there is an even more important gift to be grateful for: the gift of peace in my soul. When I have God’s gift of peace I am able to have gratitude for all people and things of this world just as they are. I have all I need thanks to God. So mom, yes, I am satisfied. I don’t need more, and I miss you!
God, Jesus, and Yogananda,
Thank you for the lessons
I needed in this life
To be grateful for all I have
And all you continue to give me!
