Gratitude


One of the things I love most about my work is how much more grateful it has made me about my life.  Everyday I see people in wheelchairs, people missing limbs, people who've had strokes, people who can no longer speak.  How easy it is for us to get lost in our own melodramas.  How easy it is to allow the mind to focus on what is not right about our life's - those things that could be better, those inadequacies we all have, those desires, wants, and longings.  The absolute truth is that we all have so much to be thankful for!  Even when times are hard, there are so many good things we could focus on.  At times, I know it's almost superhuman to celebrate life when it seems to be falling apart; but this is the practice, this is what it's about.  We must adapt, no matter what is going on; because the truth is also that although suffering does exist - and no one will really deny that - contentment and peace also exist.  Just because we're seeing one color of existence, doesn't mean the other colors don't exist simultaneously.  If we are facing certain tragedies, yes, it might make more sense that we see and experience the lower vibrations of pain and suffering; but for the most part, each day we have a choice as to which color of existence to gaze upon.  If we want to just stare at suffering and misery all day long, we can.  Odds are no one will stop us.  BUT, BUT - if we wish to see the beauty of the world, we can also stare at that.  The point is, for the most part, we have choice as to where to place our gaze.  Do we choose to stare at things that make us sad, angry, and worried?  OR do we choose to stare at things that make us smile, laugh, and feel grateful?  And this is not about wearing rose-colored goggles or burying our heads in the sand or denying the abundant pain in the world.  We should neither deny nor fear the lower vibrations of pain and misery, but we should consider whether or not we might be addicted to misery.  As noble as we may think we are by looking at all the atrocities of the world, perhaps we're simultaneously addicted to looking upon things that make us feel bad, helpless, worried, angry, etc.  Perhaps we do the world more good by tuning up to the good.  Or if not the world, perhaps we do ourselves more good.  Perhaps we suffer at times from our own good intentions - creating a feeling of impotence that we can't save it all ourselves, and in that feeling of powerlessness, not only do we not save the world, but we don't even save ourselves.  Perhaps it's counterintuitive.  Perhaps if we are able liberate ourselves amongst all the suffering that we know exists and we do not deny, perhaps then we have a greater impact on the world.  There's nothing selfish about not drowning ourselves in the pursuit of rescuing others.  Perhaps us demonstrating how to swim is the most useful thing we can do.  As Gandhi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."  With all love and respect!! - Joseph Biache