Counting on Blessings!

How many of us have experienced going through the the worst phase of our lives, hitting  the rock bottom and then rising from the ashes..And it doesn’t stop here either! Life is a roller coaster ride for those who know how to keep their spirits high through the ups and downs. On the contrary , Life can be a vicious circle for some who get stuck with the low times. Keeping a positive attitude isn’t that difficult yet a tricky one when it comes to imbibing it largely as part of our daily lives.

Our state of mind largely is responsible for the life situations we undergo. Bless a thing and it will bless you. Curse it and it will curse you…If you bless a situation, it has no power to hurt you and even if its troublesome for a time, it will gradually fade out, if you sincerely bless it.

Does that mean blessing the misery and tough times one goes through ?? And  how does one count on his/her blessings. Sounds all very complicated, doesn’t it ? Let me share a real time story of a 19 year old boy and his life experience which explains it all.

Gaurav, a young 19 year old boy always greeted me with an infectious smile on his face whenever we met at the neighbourhood garden. Little did I know, behind this smiling face was  a life full of pains and struggles for this teenager who was confined to a wheelchair at the age of 10 when most of the normal kids are living a life bustling with all kinds of physical activity like running, jumping, playing etc. Gaurav had been suffering from a muscle degenerative disease which struck him quite early in his growing years as a child .  The disease hampered his day to day activities making him difficult to walk, crawl or even raise his hand. Unfortunately, our medical science didn’t have the advanced cure to let this teenager overcome the dreaded disease or live a normal healthy life just like any other teenager. Infact, I remember his father mentioning that the even the best of  doctors in the country had actually given up on this boy’s life condition stating the patients diagnosed with the disease couldn’t make it longer than 10-12 years of their age at the max.

Gaurav, with his indomitable spirit , decided to live the life he was blessed with despite the agony and painful state his body and mind were going through as  the disease advanced .Despite the odds, Gaurav tried doing all those things which made him happy at the same time spreading happiness in the lives of people in his life. He gave a tough battle to his life situation , with his positive attitude, which made him truly a winner in all aspects till he left for his final abode at the age of 19 , which in itself was a victory as he had defied the verdict given by the medical science.

What do you think worked in Gaurav’s case? Would you call it a miracle or God’s grace coupled with his parents and well-wisher’s prayers which made it possible for him to live through the disease with his unflinching spirit to live Life ..

Undoubtedly, it was the fact that Gaurav had learnt to accept his circumstances and life situation that he was undergoing, yet he chose to bless the misery instead crib or complain like most of us would have done .For him being able to get up each morning from his bed despite the endless struggle and pain and seeing yet another sunrise was a big victory ! He could count on the numerous blessings that life would give him in every small task or activity he could perform throughout the day even if it was as simple as being able to wipe his mouth or saying a cheerful hello to the strangers he met at the garden. All his days started with a new energy and vigour and at night he would express his gratitude for all the experiences good or bad , which he was able to live through..

So friends, count on your blessings through each day no matter, how small they seem to be!Make a spiritual inventory of all your blessings.So much good happens to us but in the rush of daily life, we fail even to notice or acknowledge it. Embrace all the good and bad experiences that life gives you with open arms and heart, blessing the circumstances in your life which teach you to believe in yourself and be a WINNER in the Life’s race !!

This article is written by Shreya Shetti and she can be contacted at shreya@atmabhanacademy.com