Missing Out …

“Count your blessings and your problems….If your problems outnumber your blessings, Count Again…. Chances are the things that you take for granted were not added up…”

Every single day as I traveled to work, I noticed this man on the pavement. Days turned into months; months into a year.. winter, summer came by and then the rains, this man was seen there at the same location, as if nothing ever changed. It often got me thinking deeply about life and its ways and what it offers to each one of us. One day I finally stopped the car and sat with him on the pavement and got talking to him.This meeting lingered in my mind for long and today I am keying in to share my thoughts. 

We are  so often bombarded with motivation messages that admonish us: “Think Big”, “Dream big”, “Climb the ladder "...And do all this NOW! 

Does everyone reach that pinnacle of his or her life? Not everybody is meant to make it “big.” Not everybody has the ability to do multitasking all day long. Not everybody wants to have “a crazy, busy day”. Not everybody wants to devote their energy to dig the gold. We like to do a lot of things that have nothing to do with making it big or being on top. And that’s a good thing. Obviously, we can’t all be at the top. If this article is resonating with you, it’s time to make a shift in how you allocate your attention. Begin with enjoying the little things in life. This man sitting at the road side was a reminder to pause and enjoy the little things in life. He has no home but has a simple mat and a sheet to sleep on which he shares with two stray dogs that always wag their tails as he feeds them with whatever he eats and also offer them a cosy bed. 

 If we look around we can see how some people with so little in hand can adorn a million dollar smile as this old woman who sits whole day selling little things. Her smile captured my heart ! We can only bring real light to the lives of such people by including them in our plans for progress and prosperity. The fact that we can be comfortable shopping, spending, or earning huge salaries while so many families in our country make out a living on Rs. 20/- a day is the most disturbing thought. 

Try and  highlight the achievements of such people, whom we come in contact with each day. Write about them and their noble qualities in community journals and groups. The resulting tributes from the community can be collated and  handed over to the relevant person along with a certificate of appreciation from the community. This will go a long way to upgrade the market value of the underprivileged.They would thus gently, seamlessly get woven into the mainstream of our 'privileged' society.

I can't imagine only one person can do so, that too in today's milieu. So lets join hands and and let this not be a “a single day affair”, rather make a point to continue the habit through out the year. Let this be an ongoing thing!

Most of the time we tend to think of life nothing more than the passage of days, weeks, years and decades. But, in essence, life is made up of moments. so take a breather and think as you reflect on your day, what moments stand out for you? Is it the stress of trying to do it all? Is it the stuff that didn’t get done? Is it the disappointment in yourself for what you forgot to do or failed to do, or a gloomy feeling about how far you are from the top? If so, then people, it's time for you to pause, to make a shift. Each day, pay attention to at least one or two moments that worked out well for you.

 Don’t just shrug your shoulders and conclude that “it was just another day. Nothing worked out for me.” Even a bad experience has a valuable moment wrapped up inside, if only you‘re willing to dig deeper to discover it. 

The constant barrage to “DO more,” “GET more,” and “BE more” negates what you have done, what you have and who you are. In this competitive world of ours, often remind yourselves of what you have accomplished. And we always need to remind ourselves to be our best friend. 

Open up to experience these little moments of joy that life has to offer! When we practice greeting the world with awareness we begin to tune into things, little things, happening all around us. And we wonder….how many other miracles like this one are unfolding under our noses while we’re just too busy, too self-absorbed, too unaware too unaware to experience the niceties of life!