The Secret of Gratitude

Everyday of our lives, we exchange energy with another person in some

form, whether it be the waitress, the bank clerk, the gas station attendant, our

partner, our kids or our colleagues. In all of these interactions we probably

say the words, “Thank you” at least a dozen times a day. But have we ever

taken the time to really understand the essence of the words, “Thank you?”

Who are we really thanking? Are these just empty words that we’ve learned

from our parents or society, to be said only when someone gives us

something that we want, or is there a hidden secret locked within these very

words?  In our busy lives we usually stay on the surface with our

interactions because we don’t have the time to dive more deeply into life.

But lurking just below the superficial appearances lies the true wealth and

love that our hearts and soul’s are longing for. I discovered this secret

doorway many years ago when I was coming out of a deep meditation. I just happened to glance at my hand and something strange happened. I couldn’t stop looking at this hand, as if seeing it for the very first time, I thought to myself, “I could never create this hand on my own…something / someone created me.”

I was awestruck in that moment because I suddenly and mysteriously

realized the gift of love that my hand actually was. These hands, that I had

till then taken for granted, revealed the truth to me. I couldn’t believe my

eyes, as I looked in amazement at how every tendon, bone and muscle

moved in the most perfect way, and how every finger was designed to pluck

the many notes of this life and to allow me to give and receive the love that

this life offered. I could not stop saying, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” to the source of this life.

I saw that the true secret of life is that we already are love, but it is hidden

from us by the minds’ constant focus on the outer forms. Everything we

need is already within us.

It struck me how blessed we all are just to be alive. This experience

unlocked a door to a world of infinite love within me. I recognized that the

abundance and love that we are seeking outside of our selves will never

fulfill us for very long. But the love that is available to us from the Source or

the Creator, cannot be surpassed by anything of this world, and is filled with

infinitely more riches than we could ever imagine.

I also realized that if I could only look more deeply beyond the superficial

appearances, I would invariably find this love always waiting for me to

simply turn my gaze its way. It would be available regardless of what I had

been feeling or thinking, just as the sun’s rays make no distinction on where

they shine.

With this new understanding, I began to see others differently in that I saw

that it was the source of all life that was in fact giving love to me through

others and that same source was giving love back to others through me. I

began to understand what oneness really is. And if we actually knew how

perfect we already are, we could not judge or hurt others or ourselves

because it is the same one power that flows through and animates each one

of us. I heard a saint once say that it wasn’t how much that we’ve manifested here that means anything, it’s how much we’ve loved that makes our lives meaningful and rich. With this understanding we could stop the war that we are all fighting both inside and out.

Imagine if you would, a world where we could feel true gratitude as we

received the service from the waitress. Imagine if we could look beyond the

appearances of other’s roles to see the very source of life that they are, even

if they don’t know or see it themselves. We could look into their eyes and

silently say, “Thank you” to their eternal self. So every bank clerk, partner,

friend, politician, gas station attendant etc. would become yet another

opportunity to say thank you to the creator of all life. Once we know the

secret of true gratitude, we would realize that nothing or nobody needs to be

changed or “fixed,” they need only to be loved and thanked. And if we all

could practice this secret, in just one moment, we could turn our world from

one of conflict to one of love.

The Kiss of Gratitude

…Let me gratefully kiss this cup

that is so filled with supreme wealth

and infinite abundance and gratitude

Let me gratefully kiss and worship your eyes

That peer out of this miraculous body

Sculpted from Love’s hands

How can I thank you

When the ever-blooming garden of your creation

Is just a manifestation of one continuous thank you?

(Excerpt from The Magic Doorway into the Divine)