The term gratitude is used in common parlance to convey a sense of contentment and thankfulness with the action of someone who has extended some material benefit to a person. The term has a greater canvas though, when viewed from the spiritual angle.
A schoolgoing child gets a toy or a piece of chocolate from his father’s friend who visits him and the father immediately tells the child to express his thanks. Thanking here is an act of gratefulness, which comes from the sense of gratitude. The child grows up, acquires an engineering degree, and for his academic distinction, receives an award from his institution at the convocation ceremony. Dressed in his black gown to receive the certificate and a special award from his institution head, he walks to the podium. The items are presented and he bows his head in gratitude with the words ‘thank you’.
In democratic countries, the process to elect a political leader is marked by rallies, campaigns and speeches in which the candidate communicates with people to seek their votes. After the declaration of results, the winner holds another rally to express his gratitude to the electorate.
Gratitude, therefore, is an expression displayed on numerous occasions in all walks of human life. Truly speaking, it is a feeling of appreciation for the good or noble work done by a person. A person feels thankful to another only when he knows and appreciates the truth of the latter’s intention and deed. Expressing gratefulness without comprehension of this truth is not a sincere act. False or glib appreciation of a person’s behaviour and action to appease or gratify him is not gratitude. It springs from truthful understanding and sincere appreciation in the heart.
The universe is full of attributes existing in dualities—good-bad, high-low, happy-sad, positive-negative, success-failure, etc. A human being ushered into this world seeks fulfilment of his mundane desires and happiness, and needs to frequently transcend these dualities. For this, it is essential that he displays a sense of gratitude to the creator for giving him the body and faculties of a human being. Man, the most superior being among living organisms, struggles and survives to fulfil his material desires and seeks, consciously or subconsciously, total emancipation from sorrow. Being grateful for all he has in terms of material endowment gives a progressive outlook to a human being.
A sense of gratitude builds a positive aura around him which helps his material progress as well as spiritual growth. By being grateful, you encourage the other person to work harder and better for your growth as also the growth of other people in interaction with him. Hence, gratitude, when expressed, sets in a chain reaction of positivity and progress.
To elaborate this, a person who knows the divine principles behind life events understands that financial setbacks, physical sickness, bereavement of near and dear ones and loss of position, power or any asset are events in retribution of his own deeds in the corridor of time.
He looks at them with fortitude, learning his lessons for his spiritual growth in the realm of the Almighty and being grateful to Him that things didn’t get any worse. Similarly, he understands that material bounties in the form of monetary gains, rise of position, status etc. are just rewards from the creator for past deeds and not favours to him. Hence, he expresses his gratitude to the creator for these rewards rather than feel excited for any favours bestowed. He maintains equanimity of mind in both kinds of situations and works his way forward in life in a composed manner.
Gratitude is, therefore, related to optimism and progressiveness. An optimist looks for an opportunity even in adversity. A grateful person remains thankful to the creator and sustainer God for what he is endowed with rather than rue what he lacks. Let’s all count our blessings and not our curses and move forward in life with gratitude. (Sehgal is a Delhi-based author and can be contacted at atul4956@gmail.com)
Gratitude is related to optimism. An optimist looks for an opportunity even in adversity.
A grateful person remains thankful to the creator and sustainer God for what he is endowed with rather than rue what he lacks.
By being grateful, you encourage the other person to work harder for your growth as also the growth of others in interaction with him. Hence, gratitude, when expressed, sets in a chain reaction of positivity.