Thank You for Everything

Stephen Mitchell's adaptation of a Zen parable from Zenkei Shibayama’s A Flower Does Not Talk:

"There lived a woman named Sono, whose devotion and purity of heart were respected far and wide. One day a fellow Buddhist, having made a long trip to see her, asked, “What can I do to put my heart at rest? ”

Sono said, “Every morning and every evening, and whenever anything happens to you, keep on saying, ‘Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.’ ”

The man did as he was instructed for a whole year, but his heart was still not at peace. He returned to Sono crestfallen. “I’ve said your prayer over and over, and yet nothing in my life has changed; I’m still the same selfish person as before. What should I do now? ”

Sono immediately said, “Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever. ” On hearing these words, the man was able to open his heart, and he returned home with a great joy."

Gratitude is the most powerful meditation of a lifetime. As you focus on gratitude, you will quickly find your way home to God.

It is not the things that happen to us that make or break us; it is the way we think about them. It is possible to find something to be grateful for in every situation. The happiest people are those who practice thankfulness.

Appreciation is more of a gift to the giver than to the receiver. Those who constantly appreciate others prime the flow of love through their own hearts. Even if the recipient does not receive the gift, the giver is blessed by giving it.

In real estate, when a property appreciates, its value increases. When we give appreciation, the value of our life increases.

Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.