Learning To Be Grateful

When a lady just went through a difficult relationship with her boyfriend, we told her to 'be grateful'.
When a young adult has just managed to get out from an abusive parent, we told him to 'be grateful'.
When a mom is having difficulties with a grown up son that no longer listened to her, we told her to 'be grateful'.

So what does 'be grateful' mean?
How do you define 'being grateful'?
How do you 'be grateful'? How do you practice 'being grateful'?
Sure, in Indonesian language we can translate it to 'syukur'.
But how do we convert the word 'being grateful' into real daily life style?

One of the experience that I have of 'letting go' was when I was fortunate enough to be told of a story by Bima. You see, Bima is a volunteer at Dilts Fondation (www.diltsfoundation.org) where they take care of unfortunate children.

There is one time when they decided to do a documentation on the children of 'pemulung' (people who pick up trash and then sell them for a living.)

He told me the story of how he follow one of the children, namely Udi, through his daily activity. Udi is already up and out of the house every morning by 3.30am or the latest 4am. Why so early? Because as the saying goes, early bird gets the worm. Once he gets up too late, all the available pickings are gone take by the other 'pemulung'. So Udi must gets up on time to earn his living. It's either that or less money or maybe even none for the day.

Udi goes to his work by foot. Bare footed in fact. Hmm... how come he is not afraid of stepping into anything sharp on the way? He is used to it. While Bimo followed Udi on motorcycle, Udi was walking all the way to his working place which is maybe 2km or even 3km from his home. After reaching his working place then Udi proceed to picking up the trash in that area. How come only in that area and not anywhere else? It's because that is the area designated from him. Picking up trash at another place risks conflict with another 'pemulung' and perhaps even a 'rent fee' from the owner of the place. Once, his basket is full, Udi headed back to place where he can sell his trash pickings. Back and forth, until the time comes for lunch. Where do you think he has his lunch? Right there. On the spot, where he picks his trash. Not worried about typhoid or dysentry or similar disease. "Where else can we eat? After all, eating at another place will simply waste the travel time that can be better used to pick up trash which translates to more money."

Hmm.... ever wonder about that?
Perhaps the next time you complain about anything in your life, you might want to take a day off work and meet Udi.

Daniel Linuar
Learning To Be Grateful

www.andriewongso.com