I called it a day at 7:00 PM after long working hours at university’s research lab. Mind was swarming with plenty of thoughts about the most prevalent questions of any researcher’s life, such as “Why and How”. Just like another researcher life, happiness of my life relied on successful outcomes of experimental results. And needless to say it was a day when my happiness was snatched away by so called contradictory results than speculated. My mind was pondering upon those thoughts and stressing my brain tissues.
My car stopped at traffic light and I saw a handicapped old man in complete disheveled condition with quotes on his dirty t-shirt “Blessing Moment”. He was playing violin and was lost in the tune of it. He was looking hungry and feeble but his face had some contented smile. I offered him one dollar and he said “God bless you with blessed moment”. This wish in exchange of one-dollar bill was so comforting after so called unsuccessful day. He asked me, How are you and my obvious response was "I am okay" with fake smile on my face. I asked same question to him and he replied “I AM BLESSED”.
Astonished with his replied, I realize that these three words can be more powerful than any rationalized scriptures teachings to make this very moment happy. We live in life when stress and blame game is almost ineluctable. We whine for almost everything. Past history and unpredictable future drives our present. Stupid but true !!! The influences of past history on illusive future jeopardize our present moments and we enroll ourselves in world biggest and everlasting Olympic game call Rat Race.
This sentence penetrated my mind and made me realize my stupidity through out my life. A handicap old man having one amputated leg was feeling blessed with my one dollar. An old man completely clueless about his provision of meal for next day and still feel blessed. An old man whose life was completely out of so called normal rhythm of life and still feel blessed with violin tunes. He was my teacher of the day and has taught me one of the best lesson of life, I AM BLESSED.
So far, I have made countless efforts to keep and maintain happiness by exploring various ideas, whims and fancies using the all external means. But, looking happiness outwards is probably most foolish things, I have ever done. Happiness can never be external but internal. Today, being contended is one of the prime aspect of feeling happy. The lesson behind this three words I AM BLESSED is deeper than I thought.
If I count, I find numerous reason to feel blessed. I am blessed because I am alive perfectly healthy, with shelter and with my love ones. I am blessed because everyone around me is happy. I am blessed because I met one great teacher on the road to ease of journey of my life. God bless him to make me realize I AM BLESSED.
