Question: What is the meaning of gratitude?
Answer: Gratitude goes beyond the things you consider good. It includes being grateful and accepting of all circumstances. And why? Because whatever comes to us is the result of something we have done in the past or, is at least an opportunity to learn and grow. And by accepting what comes to us of its own with gratitude we can quickly work out the chains of cause and effect that bind us to this world.
It’s not enough to give thanks on Thanksgiving for good food and the love of family and friends. Gratitude means to be open to all life and all that comes to us. This does not mean however that we feel gratitude for the suffering of other people. That would be incorrect of course.
Gratitude has its basis in complete openness and acceptance. To practice this, a good starting point is to accept what comes to you on its own as yours to deal with. Then as you go deeper you can learn to be thankful for these things which are often great challenges in your life. With intuitive wisdom and with these attitudes, one finds the silk purse hiding behind the sow’s ear of life’s challenges.
Answered by Nayaswami Hriman