Learn to Appreciate

Learn to Appreciate It was not a normal day at sea. The sea was in a very bad condition. The clouds were black, lightning covered the sky, and the sound of thunder seemed to tear through everyone’s ears. The silence felt like a battlefield, with two opposing forces: the thunder and the roaring sound of the waves. A ship that had been sailing happily and peacefully on the sea for more than a month was suddenly facing an extremely difficult and unmanageable situation. The condition inside the ship was unbearable, but the captain remained calm, composed, and fearless. He bravely accepted the current challenge. The other crew members were in different mental states. Some of the men who had faith in the Creator above were praying with closed eyes and folded hands, hoping for a miracle to happen. The remaining crew members felt helpless, scared, and confused. They sat in a corner, holding each other’s hands, thinking that their end was very near. This condition continued for the next half an hour. Slowly and steadily, the ship kept moving. Then, little by little, the outside sounds disappeared. The roaring waves became silent, the lightning faded away, and the thunder stopped as if nothing had happened. The whole surrounding returned to normal. All the crew members went to the captain and asked him how he had managed the situation so well. The captain said that he was able to do it because, from childhood, he had cultivated the habit of appreciating things. He said that since childhood, he had been taught to appreciate nature. He appreciated the sun for its discipline. Whatever happens, it rises and sets every day. He appreciated the moon because it is not bothered by its size. Whether it is full, new, or crescent-shaped, it still shines in the sky every night. He appreciated the tiny ants that work hard in favorable weather conditions so they can live happily during bad weather. He appreciated the cows, which have the habit of giving more milk to others than to their own calves. He appreciated the bees, which buzz around the garden collecting nectar and turning it into the sweetest liquid. He appreciated the birds, which sing every morning and evening even though there is no audience to clap for them. After hearing all this, the crew asked the captain what he had learned from it. The captain replied, “If five-sense living beings have so much knowledge to survive, then six-sense human beings can collect all these qualities and easily succeed in life. That is why, even today, I am able to overcome all conditions.” Hope we all can try.