Don’t be an ass

Growing up I’ve heard that if you point a finger at someone there are 4 pointing back at you — I thought it sounded interesting but was ultimately pointless trivia. Now I wonder what they are pointing towards — are they saying I’m also to blame? Is it really something deeper or something very obvious and maybe even trivial? I’m inclined to think it need not be that deep at all — it just says that to point a finger you need to have a hand (duh!). So when you are busy pointing take a moment to look back and be grateful for the hand.

Now this is not a hippie-new agey stare at the sun/flowers and journal it kind of gratitude. This is more of a “don’t be an ass” kind of gratitude. The kind that slaps you in the face and tells you that you aren’t the strong/independent/self made man you think you are — you’ve been dependent on others and continue to be so (yes, really!).

It really comes down to where I choose to look — I complain about the boring food at home, but the 4 fingers pointing back say be grateful for the home you have, the food that someone has thoughtfully prepared on time and served. I complain about my kids waking me in the middle of the night, while I can be grateful for the fact that I have healthy kids who look at me as a hero. I complain about things/people at work without being grateful for the fact that I have a job that helps me take care of my family and buy books I don’t read on Amazon. I complain about the traffic on the roads without being grateful for having a vehicle to travel in, freedom to move about and places/people to visit. I could go on, but you get the drift- gratitude is simply a matter of perspective, it’s not a nice/soft thing to do BUT the logical thing to do.

We might walk around thinking that we are God’s gift to mankind (or atleast our family/colleagues) and that we are entitled to all the shiny stuff under the sun, but we fail to acknowledge that we would be nowhere/nothing if others didn’t step in and do their bit for us at every stage of our life (reasons be damned). We are entitled little buggers wanting every toy in the store.

So be an ass if you must, but be a grateful one.