Blessed

On Saturday after the HPB Road Show, I joined the rest of the Jteamers at Bright Hill Monastery's fund raising event for the SiChuan Earthquake. By the time the fund raising event ended, I was half dead but happy to be able to do my part to help. This event made me realized once more just how much I was blessed in life.

Sometimes one just gotta take a look at those less fortunate to appreciate the blessings in one's life. My mom taught me this when I was young. We were on vacation to China, and visited the house that once belonged to my great great grand father somewhere in a village near Canton. I saw a young boy about 3-4 years old, he was removing meat from a hill of oysters using a sharp pointed tool with his tiny hands. My mom said to me "Never compare yourself to those people who you think that are luckier than you, see the little boy over there working? Now who is really the lucky child here?". I was that lucky child on vacation for one entire month with my family.

I'm thankful my parents are still in pink of health. I'm thankful to be surrounded by everyone I love. I'm thankful for having food on my table. I'm thankful to have a home. I'm thankful to have the two monsters (my beautiful nieces ) cheering me up everyday. I'm thankful to be able to follow my heart in life. I'm thankful to be alive.

I hope the less fortunate will be blessed with beautiful things in life and the fortunate ones will appreciate for what they were blessed in life and for that I will be thankful too.

Additional Scene: I found an interesting English audio on the website of Kong Meng San Phor Kark Monastery / Bright Hill Monastery by Venerable Tenzin Palmo on Transforming Problems into Wisdom.