Daily Meditation: Monday, August 2, 2010

Thanks, giving - for everything we already have

08/02/2010

Someone comes to see me and explains why they feel so unhappy. I ask them, 'Have you given thanks today?' 'Given thanks? Who to? What for?' 'Can you walk, breathe?' 'Yes.' 'Have you had your lunch?' 'Yes.' 'And can you open your mouth to speak?' 'Yes.' 'Well then, thank the Lord. There are people who cannot walk, eat or open their mouth. You are unhappy because you have never thought of giving thanks. In order to change your state, you would first have to recognize that there is nothing more wonderful than the fact of being alive, of being able to walk, see and speak.' Humans have thousands of reasons for giving thanks, but they do not see them. They are ungrateful. This is why heaven makes them pass through trials, quite simply to teach them how eventually to be grateful.