Edited by: Vrinda Rastogi
Of the many things that make a perfect human being, if you believe in such a thing, one of the most important is gratitude. In the original Latin, where lies the origin of the word, gratus means ‘thankful’. Thankfulness is a peculiar state of mind. Partly because it is an entirely unnecessary exercise. One could surmise that it is rather self-serving. After all, whatever happens to us is a result of our actions in some way or another and so, any thanks we give would be to ourselves. Those things which we take for granted: where we are born, our body, our family’s conditions and nationality are a byproduct of sheer good luck and nothing more so being thankful for them, therefore, is futile. If you nurse these beliefs, I hope that by the end of this article you would reconsider them. And if not, then you would be reassured that your beliefs about gratitude are, in fact, beneficial for you.
There are broadly two ways to approach life, one positive and the other negative. In the positive way, one is creative, constructive, and appreciative of all that life has to offer. The opposite is the case in the negative way. These two approaches seriously shape the direction our life takes. In many ways, they are the difference between a good life and a life that is lived well. A good life is one where the conditions for what is seemingly a comfortable life are all present. These include but are not limited to, access to food, shelter, loved ones, opportunity, and the capability to achieve and maintain the same throughout one’s lifespan, which should also be sufficiently long. However, as many of us may realise, merely having a good life is not enough to be happy or satisfied. This is when the idea of a life lived well is born. A life lived well may or may not be a good life but it has the one thing which makes life worthwhile. It has a sense of contentment arising out of gratitude, which is possible by taking the positive approach and not otherwise.
If we appreciate what we already have and become sensitive to the various privileges we are afforded on a second-to-second basis, we will never be be covetous. This loss of covetousness, desires, and complaints will inevitably make us peaceful. The very next breath you draw is a favour afforded to you by nature, what to speak of all the other things. In our modern way of life, we have committed the heinous crime of being ungrateful towards nature and each other. Can we not, at the least, be grateful for the care and love we received from the family we were born in. Be grateful to the people who went out of their way to help us throughout our life. Spare some gratitude for all those nameless people who work for our country and make it as great as it is. Gratitude tempers our ambition, prevents greed, and makes us grounded– all the qualities desperately lacking in modern humans. The crisis of modern life is not one of means but one of meaning. We have everything and yet, we are becoming less and less fulfilled. Our frustration is not natural, it is self-inflicted. In our haste to touch the stars, we have forgotten that our rockets are launched from the ground. We wish to skip the formalities of our ancestors and lead completely mechanised existences, where rationality governs every aspect of our lives. This has driven us to the point of mindless despair, where we keep running in circles, pausing only to regret the choices we made once disaster strikes.
This systemic problem of the world will not be solved unless we fundamentally alter our approach to life. For once, we must treat the world as not something to be modified, exploited or overcome but instead something to cherish, care for and share with each other. This is only possible when we accept and limit ourselves by means of gratitude. As the exams draw near and many of us enter that phase of our lives where we face the world for the first time on our own terms, we must take cognizance of all that we have and instead of expecting more, abide by what we already have. This does not mean that we stop trying for betterment, it merely means that we accept the outcome of our efforts without protest, whether they are in accordance with our desires or not. It is challenging to be grateful, at least initially, but in due course of time, it has the capacity to heal many of the wounds we carry. So, begin today, and take stock of all that you should be thankful for, seek contentment, rest, appreciate and value your life. Spread the joy of gratitude to others around you, and witness the world heal and prosper in your wake.