Taking Things for Granted

ThailandTom

I am sure a lot of us here take things for granted from time to time in our lives, it is a very common thing to do. It seems to be built into the way of being of the ignorant human being, or s the Dalai lama calls them, the 'normal' people. We stumble through life and when everything ir rosey we do not appreciate what we have until it is in danger of being gone or totally gone. Examples in my own life of recent times are when I lost total feeling and function in my left hand for 3 months, that really made me appreciate having two functioning hands when it healed. When I had blood tests for suspect cancer, my whole world seemed to change, a similar feeling when my mother told me she had to have tests, a wave of hot fear swept over me when I read her words.

One thing that I have come to learn that I think is important to ones life and practice is that of unpermanence in this sense. When everything is totally screwed up, when everything is dark and there seems as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, remind yourself that there is light at the end of the tunnel because that tunnel does not last forever and every is subject to chance. Similarly when everything is running totally fine, you are content with life, remind yourself that things will not stay this way for ever, and that is not being negative or a poopy-pants, it is being mindful and skillful. If you live with the dillusion that when things are great and wonderful that this will last forever or you attach to it, then you are going to be in for a real shock and a dose of dukkha.

Lady_Alison

Thank you Tom...well said! I am grateful for my friends who have lifted me out of my depression and have become my emotional support.

My husband who is a great, sensitive, sweet, and hard working Guy.

Also, my breath...that reminds me to stay present with whatever...and God, even when I do not feel him I know he's there.

BeyondPrair

Thanks for the reminder brother, living in the u.s. It's so easy to always have the inner thrive for more and more costy and unnecasary things.

caz

Samsara is the nature of Suffering. When you recognize certain truths such as Impermanence and Death difficult circumstances become easier to endure and life becomes that much more precious.

ThailandTom

This is what I have come to realize to a certain level of understanding. You almost always hear people who have had near death experiences talking about how they never take any one day for granted and that everything they previously thought to be important are no longer important, family, friends and peace/love is what really counts in life.