Have you reflected on enjoying the summers? Or are you still longing for the winters to come? I’ll include the natives of the north in the talk. Have you started appreciating the winters? Or are you still longing for the summers to approach? I suggest that we leave the answer to this question for the end of this talk. Because by the end of the confab, you’ll know your answer.

So what is this write-up accounted for? Well, I am here, to uncover the secret of the Sufi’s of the past. The hidden that assisted them in modeling a life of fulfillment, contentment, and cheerfulness. It was that one thing they mastered, that led them towards the conquest of uncovering the treasures of happiness.

Admirably, the secret was none other than, closing your eyes to what you don’t own and opening your eyes to all that you possess. It was the power of gratification.

The power of gratification-

Gratification does not mean stopping the struggle to pursue your dreams. Its roots are far deeper than the conventional idea that flows in your mind. Gratification conveys not to forget what you possess at current, in the inclination of striving for things you don’t. In simpler words, gratification is an acknowledgment of the belongings of the present. It is to be aware of what you have now. But, why is it important? I mean, if you already secure something, you don’t have to contemplate it, right? No.

We, humans, tend to lack appreciation. We keep on striving for things we don’t have, while neglecting what we already do, or at least once cried for.

As a result, we fall into a vigorous circle of traps called “desires”. We desire so much, that our stomachs are never filled by what we have. And honestly, they never will. Once you acquire what you yearned for, you’ll ask for more. And you’ll keep on doing that, either till you have lost what you already possessed or find something novel to be inclined to.

So realistically, where does this hunger ends? It never does. And this is exactly what the Sufis were able to fathom. They understood human nature, themselves, and started living in the moment. They recognized all they had obtained and showed gratification and appreciation towards it. Instead of worrying about the riches they didn’t own, they cherished the valuables of now. And it was what led them towards happiness and contentment in life, gratification.

Now how do we include gratification in our lives? It’s not hard, but just requires a little change in perspective.

1. Be mindful of what you own at present:

Eradicate the idea of what you desire for a minute, and you will be flooded by the gems you already have. For example, the lady you wanted the most once, is now your wife. And there was a time when you desired her the most. And now that she’s with you, you’re left with two choices. First, neglect her and wander muddled, thinking what you want now. Or acknowledge her and make the most beautiful moments of your life. (The choice for the wise is self-evident).

1. Let your heart do the work-

Note that your soul, your spiritual self, wants to feel happy and satisfied. And it tells you through an inner voice within you that speaks through your heart. While your brain is busy handling all situations with logic and reasoning, it is your heart that whispers what you want. Some people call it intuition or the voice of the soul. Note that, at first, you’ll have to ask your inner voice, as it will be mostly dim. But gradually, it will become stronger and speak for you and to you in every situation. Just make sure that you are primarily deciding your inner voice’s track. Keep it positive and sincere.

3. Acknowledge what you own-

The key to incorporate gratitude in your life is by being thankful for little things. So what if you can’t afford a pair of shoes? Appreciate you have feet to walk from. There exist people who can barely stand up from their wheelchair.

Moreover, we often feel that our relationship with our spouse has changed from the way it used to be. Many say it was a little thing that their mate noticed and showed gratitude over in the past. But now, things have become different. What they fail to realize is acknowledgment towards each other is what they have started lacking. And that, instead of cherishing each other, they start taking one another for granted. Solution! All you have to do is, acknowledge each other’s presence. Cherish the moments together like that is all you have. It will eventually make you feel thankful for the soul mate you have.

A word of advice-

It is the thankfulness that will keep you tranquil. And it is not the tranquility that will make you thankful. I hope you know the answer to the first question I posed, now.