Thank You for Everything
by Alan Cohen
THE STORY IS TOLD ABOUT A WOMAN ZEN MASTER named Sono who taught
one very simple method of enlightenment. She advised everyone who came to her to
adopt an affirmation to be said many times a day, under all conditions. The
affirmation was, "Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever."
Many people from all arenas of life came to Sono for healing.
Some were in physical pain; others were emotionally distraught; others had
financial troubles; some were seeking soul liberation. No matter what their
distress or what question they asked her, her response was the same: "Thank
you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever."
Some people went away disappointed; others grew angry; others
tried to argue with her. Yet some people took her suggestion to heart and began
to practice it. Tradition tells that everyone who practiced Sono's mantra found
peace and healing.
Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.
My friend Lisa, an attractive woman in her late 30's, came to
one of my seminars after I had not seen her for a number of years. She informed
the group that a year earlier she had been diagnosed with a brain disorder that
required immediate surgery. The surgery was done, a steel plate was inserted in
her head, and her doctor keeps her under close observation. Lisa reported that
now she lives from day to day. Privately I told Lisa that I was sorry she had
gone through this whole ordeal. "Oh, don't be sorry," she told me emphatically.
"I'm not sorry at all. This was one of the best things that has ever happened to
me. It really got me to appreciate my life and relationships. I married a
wonderful guy and we are thinking about having children. I wouldn't trade the
experience if I could."
Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.
Can you imagine what your life would be like if you simply
dropped your complaints? It's a radical proposal, since most of us have been
trained to question, analyze, and criticize everything we see. But then we end
up questioning, analyzing, and criticizing ourselves. Then we miss out on joy,
the only true measure of success.
The ecstatic mystic poet Hafiz proclaimed, "All a sane man can
ever think about is giving love." One evening I received a phone call from my
friend Cliff, a Jewish guy from Brooklyn who discovered A Course in Miracles and
became a world-class love exuder. Cliff just went around finding good and beauty
in everyone he met. On the phone, Cliff told me, "I just called to tell you how
much I love and appreciate you."
"Well, thank you Cliff," I answered, delighted. "I really
appreciate that . . . What prompted you to call me at this moment?"
"My knee was hurting me, and I knew that the only way I could
feel better would be to give more love. So I began to think of the people in my
life who I care about, and you came to mind."
Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.
As we approach the holiday of Thanksgiving, many of us will be
getting together with our families. Perhaps family issues may come to the fore
and we might be tempted to fall into a pattern of rehashing old resentments and
arguments. Wouldn't it be fabulous if, as we sat with our relatives, we held in
mind, "Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever." Imagine what
this Thanksgiving would be like if we decided that no matter how much Mom
complained about Dad; how much Dad bugged us about getting a real job; or how
unspiritual our ex is, we chose to be an unstoppable appreciation machine and
found the good in our loved ones. Indeed this would be a triumphant Thanksgiving
to remember!
Yes, I know, there is a voice inside you objecting, "But if I
did not complain, people would walk all over me and selfish opportunists would
genetically manipulate my food and terrorists would keep crashing airplanes into
buildings and . . . and. . . Got it. Now if you went to Sono, her response would
be, "Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever." I am simply
suggesting that we practice the mantra for an entire Thanksgiving day. And then
maybe one day a week. Then we might start to feel so good and our lives will
become so effective that we want to turn every day into Thanksgiving. In my book
Handle with Prayer I state that the highest form of prayer is gratitude. Instead
of asking God for stuff, start thanking God for stuff, and you will find that
God has already given you everything you could want or need, including the
adventure of discovering more riches every day. Life is a big treasure hunt.
Eventually we grow weary of seeking treasures outside ourselves,
and we begin to look within. There we discover that the gold we sought, we
already are. The beauty we overlooked because we were focusing on what was
missing, still lives and awaits us like an anxious lover. As T.S. Eliot nobly
noted, "The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started
and know the place for the first time".
Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
© 2002 Alan Cohen
For more of his writings, visit www.alancohen.com
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