Why me Lord
March 2014
By Megha Bajaj
Megha Bajaj extols the virtues of gratitude
There is a beautiful song that goes like this:
Why me Lord, what have I ever done,
To deserve even one,
Of the pleasures I have known…
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do,
That was worth loving you,
Or the kindness you’ve shown…
Somehow each time that I hear this song, no matter what I am feeling or the hustle bustles I am facing in life, I am constantly reminded of how beautiful life actually is. So often we raise our hands to the Source and wonder, “Why me” for all the challenges that have been handed down to us. When I heard this song – it changed the way I looked at the words, “Why me”… For the first time I realised, truly, how blessed I am and how much in my life is actually going right.
So many of us have a tendency to overlook all the wonderful things happening in our lives and focus on the little that is wrong. Who doesn’t have challenges? A block of wood, held too close to the eyes, can block the entire sun out and yet held at a distance is nothing but a sliver. Every time I hear this song I feel that my challenges are mere trifles compared to all the wonderful things happening to me.
Gratitude truly is the mother of all virtues. Yet somehow, until about five years ago it was never a part of me. I took for granted all that was going right in my life – and cribbed about all that wasn’t. Fortunately over time I started realising that not only did gratitude feel good – because gratitude and disturbance could never co-exist – but it was also the secret to attracting more beautiful moments into my life.
Gratitude is a habit. And like one brushes one’s teeth every morning and night – or exercises each day – it too has to be developed. I began with the simple suggestion from a teacher – each day, wake up and for at least 10 minutes think of all the things you are thankful for. Initially – I found it very hard to think beyond the tenth sentence but as I kept at it, it began to become a flow. Gradually as my mornings began with a feeling of thankfulness, it also began to seep into my day – my relationships – and slowly but steadily even resulted in my feeling grateful for myself.
Recently I experienced a bout of challenges on the personal front. Someone extremely close to me was diagnosed with stage IV cancer, and I lost my grandfather who meant the world to me – all in the span of one month. I thought I would be distraught but surprisingly, gratitude had become so much of a part of me that even in the bleakest moments I was able to hold on to some reason to feel grateful, and I truly believe that carried me through.
Gratitude is a habit. And like one brushes one’s teeth every morning and night – or exercises each day – it too has to be developed.
Gratitude looks too easy to our intellect – and we wonder how much it can actually help. But like all the most profound truths of life – its power lies in its absolute simplicity. The more grateful you are – the more you attract that which you are grateful for. Whenever you can, for whatever reasons you can, say thank you – and see how life stops being a struggle, and becomes a flow.
As I write, I am listening to the song… Why me Lord… Tears are falling from my eyes and I can’t help but feel blessed. Not because life is perfect – but because I am so, so, so grateful to it, nonetheless.