FEATURE

    DO you remember the last time you said "Thank you"?

    Try to recall a person who has been important to you. Why is he or she important? Did he do good deeds to you? Did he help you with your paper works? Or did he simply listen to you when you had a problem? 

    Many times, we go on through the day so caught up in the things happening around us that we don't even remember that there are plenty of things we should be thankful for in this world. Oftentimes, we think of a problem, or things that make us sad, and we wallow in self-pity. It wrecks our day, doesn't it? Well, it should not. Cheer up! There's hope for you. There are a zillion things to be happy about. Let me tell you several stories.

    Once, there was a boy who was asked by his mother to buy pan de sal from a nearby bakery one morning, but he was lazy. He was complaining that the bakery was too far, and he did not want to walk that far. But his mother was able to coax him. As he was walking on the street, angry and thinking of why he was always asked to buy things from the store, he was met by a man in a wheelchair, carrying a brown bag from the bakery. The man has no legs, but he was happily steering his wheelchair to go home.

    What did you think the boy thought?

    Another time, a young girl was staring at herself in the mirror in her room. She was not happy with the way her nose looked. She did not like its shape. She was thinking, Why can't my nose be pointy? Why don't I have the face of a movie star? I am sad. I am not beautiful. This will haunt me for the rest of my life. I am doomed.

    Next day, during a field trip to a home for the blind, she met a girl of her age who was blind since birth, who never ever saw the sunshine, the color of the flowers, the beauty of the seashore. But the blind girl was cheerful. She said she has a lot of things to thank God for. She had friends. She had people who care for her, who teach her to do things from which she could earn a living.

    The unhappy young girl, who thought she was ugly, was stunned. She felt guilty and realized how silly her concerns were. She had often seen sunshine. She had often picked flowers in the garden nearby. And she had been to the beach several times and seen the majestic sparkle of the sea against the horizon. She has been forgetful of these things. All she was thinking of was her sadness over her nose which could smell well anyway.

    We usually fall into this trap. Many times, we forget that we have a lot of gifts. God gives us blessings every single day. All we have to do is notice all these blessings. How? By having a "Gratitude" or "Thank You" journal. Everyday, before saying your evening prayers, you may list down at least three things that you are thankful for that day. It may be a smile from a friend, or a phone call that made you happy, or even just looking or talking to a special friend. Or be thankful for your Nanay or Tatay, Mama or Papa, or Daddy or Mommy. Your friends who helped you in everything that you do, or your brother who told you that you're the best ate or kuya.

    Just try and think. Surely, there will always be things to be thankful for. Better say "Thank You" to the person who has made a difference in your life for tomorrow might be too late. After all, when the heart is full of gratitude, saying "Thank You" might not be enough. Yet, ironically, that's all we can afford. Thanks!