Aham Brahmasmi

Counting Blessings

"HoHoHo" comes the call and I can't help but smile wide at the enthusiasm with which my little one jumps into his lap. There is so much trust in that one action.

In a world where everything from our phones to our homes are behind real or virtual padlocks, our hearts are also password protected.

It's difficult to trust our neighbor, our best friend. Our generation thinks twice before entrusting our children in the care of our own parents. The people who brought us up!

In such an overprotective atmosphere, this fat man, clad in a ridiculous red outfit still holds the trust of a little girl or boy that he will deliver and on time!

It's a beautiful ritual.

Trust in me, behave well and I will send you a suprise through my angel on my birthday. Meanwhile, share a lot of love. - Yours Truly, Jesus Christ.

Christmas is such a cozy festivity. The heat of a hearth, family getting together, the carols,the food, the general aura around the festivity is so warm, you feel like giving more, you feel like sharing and caring for others.

But then again, it's a question of perspective.

Christmas is a beautiful ritual.

Ritual.

That exact word which scares this generation from accepting religion. Because either they feel too bound by rituals or they deny the existence of any kind of god. Because frankly who's got the time!!

Recently read in multiple references that religion is one of the greatest myth on this planet.

Maybe. But then so is money, fame, job satisfaction and Information Technology. You measure how rich a person is, based on his net worth which is different in each country! You measure beauty based on your own prejudices which means the selection of a Miss Universe or Miss World by a bunch of people is actually baseless!

Now lets get back to religion.

Man is the smartest animal on this planet. So smart, that his mind can expand itself to actually roam around the universe without making or boarding a space shuttle.

Imagine such power of mind, but an animalistic principle to guide it - survival of the fittest.

Religion introduced us to our conscience. Taught us that survival isn't the right of only the fittest. Taught us to be humble by pointing to another force which may be our root, which is much more powerful than us puny humans.

With religion came rituals. Rituals which help practise the principles of gratitude, humbleness, forgiveness, sharing and trust.

Pick any festival from any religion of the world. Remove the marketing frills out of it and look at it keenly. Everyday, each ritual teaches us a way to keep alive, our conscience.

Yeah Christmas shopping is fun, the sales are awesome, the decor keeps getting fancier by the day. But don't let it get to you. Preserve the spirit of Christmas for yourself and for the generations afterwards.

Trust in the power of physics if not for the lord almighty. Whatever you put out into the universe, will come back to you in equal measure. So if you are happy with life today, count your blessings.

And if your life is mayhem, but between all of it you still are standing upright and breathing for the ones who love you, count your blessings again.

Merry Christmas 💖