The blissful sense of abundance

Of the many characteristics worth emulating of an American, the one most impressive is their omnipresent essence of courtesy in all acts. So if you are driving you observe people giving way to others, if you are walking the door is held open for you and if you belong to the fairer sex and are traveling by the bus you are without fail offered a seat. This strikes all the more emphatically because of an almost complete lack of such acts back home. Hence, if you are in the necessary- evil christened as the Mumbai Local, you will see the zillion times amplified version of me-first-always to the extent of exhibiting this behavior everywhere where there are more than one person, including to the observer’s dismay, even in places of worship and ostensible serenity.

The logical explanation masquerades as the security borne out of a sense of plenty that those in the developed world are endowed with. It is as simple as the personality of two children from homes with a differential in socioeconomic standing. The one from the more bestowed home on an average grows up with an innate sense of warmth and security which becomes a part of her, surfacing in some form in all her actions of daily living. In sharp contrast, the one from not so accomplished bearings would have a tacit sense of dearth almost inevitably in all her actions, conscious or unconscious.

The beauty and joy in the world that sprouts from the actions with their roots in the feeling of plenty is so iridescent that it lights up the life of all those who are a part of that surrounding, teaching them almost effortlessly to contribute and learn to deserve this beauty.

The initial level of this security undoubtedly generates from the abundance in the material comforts of the world and the fact that those sharing the comforts are less in number such that each is provided with a big share of the pie, leaving no motivation to push out or pull down the other.

Taking this idea to the next level throws at us a deeper channel to emulate similar sense of plenty with or without the existence of the material comforts. This feeling sprouts from the overwhelming sense of fulfillment and gratitude that oozes out of each who makes the effort of ‘tuning in’. As one practices looking inside and connecting with ourselves, this feeling of much is continually amplified to the extent that it starts getting reflected in your acts in the same way as the abundance of material comforts would do. All it requires is to find and connect with your true being.

The maxim that flows out of the thought thus is: There are two ways to meet the world, one with a feeling of deprivement and other with that of plenty. May we all find that blissful sense of abundance inside us.