For almost 8 years of living in Manila, I never got myself used to Jeepneys. I ride it every day, from childhood to college to working days, but I never liked it. Last night I had a different experience, it was fun, exciting, and amusing.
The story
There was a King who decided to have a walk on the streets of his kingdom. A Beggar found him and asked for a food. The King insisted that you don't ask for a food to a King, you ask for a gold. The beggar did so and the king with a mighty voice instructed his guard to pour the beggars cup with gold. To his surprise, a sack of gold was emptied but the beggar’s cup is not filled. He then asked for another sack, and another, and one after the other yet the beggar’s cup is far from getting full.
The King getting a bit annoyed asked the beggar as to what kind of cup is he holding and the beggar responded that the cup is a cup of an ungrateful heart.
Back to the Jeepney
After the seminar, I again ride a jeep from Manila to Makati. While reflecting on the story, I remember how I am always vocal on my inclination to amusement rides. And with a pinch of imagination, it felt like riding a Space Shuttle of Enchanted Kingdom (only Space Shuttle comes with a safety gear). I could have complained over traffic and the typical perks of being a jeepney passenger, but those are a manifestation of an ungrateful heart. In that instant, I realized how a simple thought can alter the state of my happiness.
Before learning the story a beggar, my subconscious mind is always busy with complaints. But I now realized that the problem is buried deep within my heart. When my heart is ungrateful no amount of good things will satisfy me.
The Lesson
The same truth can also be applied on our daily prayers. In the story above the beggar is asking only for a food but what did the King give him? Most often than not we received blessing far better than what we ask and prayed for, or so than we deserved, yet still we feel ungrateful. The first step to living our dreams is to have a grateful heart. Unless this attitude is mastered nothing in this world will satisfy us. If you feel empty know this; emptiness is a by product of an ungratefulness.
This is the lesson installed in my heart after TRC Seminar; that all the blessing are ripped, we only need a heart that is ready to receive and the beginning of that is GRATEFULNESS.