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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Gratitude

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher.
After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart, as his teacher appreciated his gesture !
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. The student spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container.
The
student challenged his teacher and out of curiosity asked: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied with a smiling face: "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter"!!!

We may understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a crushed paper painting or a clay figure, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea and affection within the gift. Gratitude doesn't always come naturally.Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart!! Also, when we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest of appreciation is not to utter mere words, but to live by them. The essence of all beautiful art, all great art is gratitude!

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls and the memory of it is stored in the heart and not the mind! The next time you receive any gifts from anyone, no matter however small it may be,remember the love behind and don't judge the gift with its appearance! Have a deep sense of gratitude for whatever you receive in life and be thankful to Almighty that there is some one around to care and think for you...

With Love,









Image Courtesy : Google Images

76 comments:

Soin said...

and the student came back to give another flagon of stale water.the teacher thanked him.and this went for another year.

[then the teacher finally shouted at him to leave him alone and hurt the student.the student never came back again]-viewers cut

[the teacher died from consumption of the stale bacterial water]-dir cut

free

kaka said...

lovely post....very very insightful...:)

Mahesh Aadhya Kalal said...

Hi Shruti,,,,

the post is timely, relevant and contemporary....

In the era of globalised-commercial-corporate-consumerist-mindset where the rat race of materialistic possessions is of prime and substantial importance, the ray of gratitude is being seen at horizons....

Raji U said...

WOW... nice thoughts girl..

SG said...

That is an excellent post on gratitude. I could not say any better. One thing I have noticed is that some people do not know how to accept a gift with grace. They immediately think that they have to give a gift back in return.

Siddhesh Kabe said...

man this is like awesome thought... keep it up!!!

Chetan Maheshwari said...

hey very true shruti
gratitude brings wisdom to people
good topic

Arnav said...

SO true ,
a little bit of gratitude can make a lot of difference ... in our life..

Keep writing and Smiling :)

kanagu said...

very nice message Shruti... and rightly said... :)

loved this post :)

kanagu said...

a request for you shruti... please add the archive in your sidebar... so that it will be easy to read the older posts...

Shruti said...

@Soin
What's ur cut/point/view here?!
Free free :P

Shruti said...

@Kaka
Hey thanks. Somebody is regularly reading my posts like before it seems?!
:) Thanks da :)

Shruti said...

@Mahesh
Very true mahi(hope i can call u like that). We are indeed seeing gratitude at the horizons. As u said, in this materialistic world, we are forgetting the basic elements of life like love, affection, gratitude..

Shruti said...

@Raji
Thanks sweety!

Anoop said...

story is really nice.. :D
liked it so much :)

Shruti said...

@SG
Welcome to my blog!!
U r true, the love and affection behind every gift vanishes. Only the price of the gift is valued!

Keep Visiting!

Shruti said...

@Sid
Thanks sidhu!

Shruti said...

@Chetan
Thank u chetan! Couldn't see you in my blog these days! Why?!

Shruti said...

@Arnav
""a little bit of gratitude can make a lot of difference""
Really it makes much difference :)

Shruti said...

@Kanagu
Thanks buddy!

Shruti said...

@Kanagu
Actually Some problem persisted with my template while adding archives with hierarchical selection! I have added now with some modifications! Kindly adjust with me :)

Shruti said...

@Anoop
Thanks a lot anoop Ji!

Anuraag said...

awsome is the word from me :)

Anonymous said...

ROTFL @ soin's imagination..hehehe..
okay on a serious note, you are so right girl.. there are some people who look at the value of the gift and not at the intention behind the gift :)
And agree with Kanagu, it's harder to read your old posts

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Loved the post, my favourite quotation concerns gratitude.
"Todays gratitude buys you tomorrows happiness"
Take care.

Yvonne.

Makk said...

You have thrown me ni nostalgia...

check my blog in some time ...:)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful mesagge said in a lovely way Shruti!!!

It's the feeling of gratefullness that many times build the bond between the people.

So when are going to show me ur gratitude by giving me a gift??? :-)

Neha said...

amazing thoughts shruti...U too can gift me, I will show a lot of gratitude for the amazing stuff u will gift me...:D

nice post...:))

Shruti said...

@Vishal
Thank u!

Shruti said...

@Avada
:P
Hey thanks girlie!
Regarding the archieves, i Can't add the hierarchy of my old posts! Some problem is occurring! But I have just included a tab for my archieves!!
SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!

Shruti said...

@Yvonne
Very aptly said quote lady :)

Shruti said...

@Makk
Nostalgia?!
Why? What i did?! :O

Shruti said...

@Bala
Thanku bala!
Gift for u?!?!? :O :O :O
Ne yaaru pa? Unperu yenna?! :P

Shruti said...

@Neha
:O :O :O
gifting u?!
Come on neha, am just a kiddo! Give me gifts and make me happy!! Also see my gratitude :P

Neha said...

girl, being a kiddo, still u have so much of understanding...u r mentally very mature...i m not :P

so stop being very modest...I am waiting for my gifts..:D:D:D

Darshan Chande said...

Love the tale! The sad thing is, world is becoming more and more materialistic day by day.

Sathish Chandrasekaran (சதீà®·் சந்திரசேகரன்) said...

U bring out posts that can be leafed through at ease & at the same time worth reading :)


keep up the good work :)


keep blogging
cheers!!!

Anonymous said...

@Shruti...

Gift kettathuke nee yaaru nu ketuta... Ithu than un gratefulness ah???? So reminding me ur words 'writing is easy doing it is tough'...

Shruti said...

@Neha
Am mentally mature?! :O :O
Gift?
As the saying goes, "TRUE LOVE AND AFFECTION IS THE GREATEST GIFT IN THIS WORLD"
my true love and affection will always be there for u!! :)
I have given u the best gift neha!

Soin said...

yenahta?? oru 50 cutting..yaaru kuduthalum gratitude oda,attitude illama vanguvom..free

Shruti said...

@Darshan
True, materialistic love, care everything!
:)

Shruti said...

@Sathish
Welcome back after a long time :)
Thank u so much for those encouraging words :)

Shruti said...

@Bala
aaha! Kelambitangaya...
As the saying goes, "TRUE CARE AND AFFECTION IS THE GREATEST GIFT IN THIS WORLD"
my true love and affection will always be there for u!! :)
I have given u the best gift Bala!

Shruti said...

@Soin
Adha than inda kalathu pasanga vanguvaanga!!

Unknown said...

very nice!!! :) liked it . simple message.. profound meaning.

Shruti said...

@MM
Thank u shruti!

lostworld said...

Extremely thoughtful post. Got me thinking hard about the last gift I have received !! heehee.. :)

Shruti said...

@Lostworld
:)
So what was the last gift u got???

Neha said...

shruti, i am so touched with your comments...thank you thank you...

proper revert na to ur wonderful comments? ok now let's talk about materialistic gifts...so what u have in store for me now? :D :D

Shruti said...

@Neha
Materialistic gifts?!
Hmm... U got me as ur friend, critic, well wisher! That is the bigggg gift u got in life :) :P :D
Now, your thirst for gifts would've quenched! :P :D
Correct na?!

Anonymous said...

Oh... Ippa innoru saying solli thappikaraya... too bad...

Aiyooo... Mudiyala... Nenja thottutta po....

Anonymous said...

great post shruthi..
very insightful and thought provoking!!

Ekam said...

Lovely post :)

Acha now when you buy some gifts for Neha , buy 200-300 gifts (zyada nai bolungi main :P) for me too.. I'll let you see my gratitude :P

Chetan Maheshwari said...

@shruti
i was bizy these days, preparing for an interview, even i can't find myself on my blog
wish me luck,

Raj said...

shruti. i think u paired up with americanising desi are gonna convert me. :)

HaRy!! said...

matter mukiyam ila...matter la irukira anbu than mukiyam... Soin namala mathiri mokai aitan pola :D ...anyways writing a neat and enjoyable comment is the Gratitude is what a reader can do for a blogger..? Epadi nama write!

Shruti said...

@Bala
Sari sari vidu vidu!!
Arasiyalla idellam saadharanamappa!

Shruti said...

@Ekam
Arey yaar! Come on! Afterall we are kiddo's! Lets ask neha ji for bigggg gifts so that we can show her the true meaning of gratitude :)

Shruti said...

@Chetan!
Hey don't worry buddy! u will surely get a very good job!
My best wishes to u!!

Shruti said...

@RSV
Thanks bhaiyya!

Shruti said...

@RAJ
:O :O :O
Convert u into what?!

Shruti said...

@Hary
Pinrappa pinrappa! Yepdi ipdilam?! Adhuva varutho!! Sebba!
Kannakattudhey!

Rauf said...

exactly shruti.. its the thought behind the gift which matters more than the gift itself.. thats why i stop with the thought process and my frend kicks my butt.. unfair world..

Shruti said...

@Abdul
Heheheh :P
Lol :D
Even I would like to stop with thoughts! But, yevalavo paathutom, idha paaka matoma! :P

Madman said...

I eco your thoughts for the second time in a row

BK Chowla, said...

Very intelligent and timely post,especially during this festive season.During Diwali,the feeling of gift is measured by it's value not by the sentiment.
I hope we learn from your post.

Shruti said...

@Venky
That's an achievement na?!

Shruti said...

@Chowla Ji
Its a must learn thing na?!

Unknown said...

thats a good post... gratitude is so important..and the story was excellent...

Shruti said...

@Shankar
Thanks da :)

Nανєєη said...

rightly pointed out ...its the gesture that matters not the material its attached to

Shruti said...

@Naveen
U got it right!

Swaram said...

Thatz so beautiful :)
So rt! It might be one in oh so many that we have received! But means so much for the one who hs given it to us :) Wonderful lesson there!

Shruti said...

@Swaram
thanks sweety!!

Pramoda Meduri said...

hi shruti,

lovelyy story yaar..absolutley touching and it provides the mesaage that everyone needs to have in mind..

gratitude is a divine act to show, irrespective of the materialistic things abt it..

:) Good post shruti.i love the way u r growing with ur blog..all the vesry best my dear..

Shruti said...

@Prams
Hey thanks!
Am i growing?! I don't know.. But, i realized many things when am writing different things!

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