The Gift of Gratitude.

Gratitude, that started on a spurt,
Ought to be taken with a pinch of salt.
For it was never heartfelt in the first place,
But merely, a wandering minds' somersault.
Rather than conveying your indebtedness 
Before an idol every day.
Let each soul who counts in your life,
Know that they'll matter still, today and every day. 

Balancing oneself on the vicissitudes of life,
One begins to realise, 
That to count things to be grateful for
Even in this serendipitous present moment, 
Is like counting stars in the sky- 
Some you spot, many you never can.
Funnily enough, each time we pray, 
That animated bundle of wishes for the future, 
Already has taken flight, before we express gratitude
For all the joys that came, went or stayed. 

For joys are but ephemeral bubbles, whereas 
Thankfulness encompasses what was, is, and will be.
Yes, it is the bigger gift; of realization.
That one moment, which makes
The innumerable moments gone by dearer, 
Than the happiest sketches of one's imagination.

Gratitude lies in reciprocation, 
To yourself, to another, to the universe.
It lies in caressing awaited joys, 
While nestling present pleasures.
Maybe it is, a state of mind, 
An affectionate glance, a careless smile.
And not a five-minute long,
Fifty-two word prayer's monotone at night.

At once freeing and limiting- You're happy at first,
To realise someone makes you happy,
Before you're already taken aback, 
As you stumble upon the fact, 
That for you, they'll always deserve more
Than you could ever offer them in turn.

Gratitude is, dancing the dance of dilemma
Humming along the chaotic choir of cacophonies.
Extending your hand to the coy caresses of joy,
Lazing behind Your hazy curtain of dreams,
Where earlier,
Eager in anticipation though, You stood stiff
With fear now and then lurking near,
Each time you were letting out a prayer.



P.S. What is gratitude, after all? This poem is but one aspect of it. Indeed, there is no start nor an end to this beautiful emotion. For me, thanking the universe for the joys that are yet to come, also counts as thankfulness. Then again, it could be gratitude for your own self, or for the happiness of another. Or being grateful for the fact that to someone, your presence in his or her life matters. It's about becoming a giver, from being a seeker at first. It's a feeling one can and should cherish at all times. Not for the bad things that could have happened to you but didn't, or for things you want in the future, but for you things, people, thoughts, ideas that you do have, right now. And indeed, once you start counting, you can never stop. Have we ever tried, counting, though? =)