Life itself is a bonus. I realized that after becoming a Vedanta student. Before that I felt living was a chore. I lived for the sake of living. I lived because I was alive…. There was no ‘Life’ in my living though.
Now each and everything in life is bonus. Living has become a precious opportunity. Sharing few of the bonuses I reflected upon again, specifically during this past week-
1. Health- something I always use to take it for granted. I have been much more appreciative of that now. Good health is a means to deeper practices. It’s a bonus so what can I do to give something back to it? I had been meaning to add Tai chi and qigong to my yogasana practice. So this appreciation of health had inspired me invest in it as it ages. Now it’s become a daily practice of tai chi, qigong and yogasana with my husband.
2. Resources- all that we have materially , I feel that God has given me much more than what I ever deserved. Growing up in midsize city of Punjab with emphasis on education and hard work, I could never envisage the blessing I have received. How can I give back? By being generous with the resources. The ‘giving’ also only comes with His grace and it’s a bonus that He chooses us to be this medium when we give.
3. Service- my profession was just ‘work’ for me for years. I never wanted to be a doctor and I was just pushed into it. I wanted to be a writer. Years went by. Yet here I am now, so grateful to be in this profession which gives me opportunity to serve. It’s a very humbling experience. What can I do to repay this bonus? Serve all who come. By being a student of Vedanta, I’m slowly learning the art of happiness and I’m able to share that joy and help my patients in their stress and anxiety.
4. Positivity — that’s the big one! . From a shy, pessimistic and sad child to an insecure, introvert, cynical youth and then a controlling young-adult; this would have been my story. But a new chapter got added to this story. Only because of His and gurus grace, the transformation has happened to a positive, happy, confident adult. I love Life now. This is the biggest bonus. How can I repay that- Nothing is enough to repay it as its priceless bonus. Yet I try my best to be a good student, an ‘adhikari’ and a joyful human. I try to share the blessing of this positivity I have received with others so they can also get this opportunity to be positive through our Vedanta classes.
Swami Tejomayananda ji shares-
Life is a gift and living is an art.
Only through this transformation of my thinking I have come to appreciate the gift of Life. It’s my responsibility to live it as He would have wanted me to.
