Most of us understand the importance of expressing thanks to those who have helped us. And in the long journey of life, there are many people who have helped us, some more regularly than others. If a stranger does some favor for us, most of us will out of courtesy or habit immediately express thanks to them.
But suppose we are helped by an acquaintance, especially a close friend or a loved one. Further suppose that we are so frequently helped by them that we not only start counting on them, but start taking them for granted.
In such situations, we may consciously or often unconsciously postpone expressing our heartfelt thanks to them for the many ways in which they have helped us. Such postponement may not always be due to carelessness or busy-ness; it may even be well-intentioned — maybe we are waiting for some special occasion, such as their birthday or Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Undoubtedly, it is great to express heartfelt and profuse gratitude on special and memorable occasions. But given that life is uncertain, we can’t know for sure that we will get that opportunity on that future occasion, however close or distant it might be. Maybe the only opportunity we will be left with is on their memorial day. — or maybe we will be left with no opportunity, for we may ourselves have departed from the world.
That’s why it’s prudent and even urgent that we grab every opportunity that we have or can get to express thanks, especially where we know in our hearts that thanks is more than merited for all that the other person has done. When we become opportunistic in the healthiest sense of the word, we will not only enrich the hearts of those who have helped us by our warm expressions of gratitude, but will also sweeten and deepen our relationship with them, thereby making our shared journey through life better for both of us.
Pertinently, the Bhagavad Gita recommends that we practice not just the mental discipline of cultivating contentment by noticing the good things in our life, including the good things that have been done for us by others (17.16), but also express the corresponding verbal discipline by expressing gratitude through words that are truthful and pleasing (17.15).
Summary:
Never miss any opportunity to express gratitude because we never know when it may turn out to be our last opportunity.
Think it over.
- Why might we delay expressing thanks to others?
- If we keep delaying such expressions of thanks, what might happen?
- If we grab the opportunities to express thanks, what can happen?
Audio explanation of article is here: https://gitadaily.substack.com/p/grab-opportunities-to-express-gratitude
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17.16: And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
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