The Right Way to Celebrate
This afternoon, Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj spoke about celebrations and explained the right way to celebrate. No matter where we live or how old we are, we all mark life’s happy occasions with festive activities. Be it births, birthdays, anniversaries, or other special moments, we celebrate with family and friends, food, entertainment, and good cheer. There is often, however, a glaring omission. While congratulating one another for achievements and milestones, we celebrate our special gifts while forgetting to express gratitude to the Giver.
All gifts in life come from God. We need to realize that whatever the occasion may be, were it not for God’s grace, we would not be alive to experience it. The right way to celebrate any special occasion is to recognize that it is God’s gift that we are here and we have an opportunity to experience God. As we grow in gratitude, we will develop a yearning to be in God’s presence and a desire to experience the Lord. For this to happen, we need to withdraw from the chatter of the outer world by stilling our body and mind. In this stillness, we can connect with the divine inner Light of God.
The remembrance of God should not be limited to life’s celebratory moments. Every day, with every breath, we need to remember the Creator and be grateful for all the gifts in our lives. While we cannot see or hear God through our physical senses, we can show our gratitude by loving all creation, said the spiritual Master. When we try to lead an ethical life, extend a helping hand to someone in need, and spend time in daily meditation, we express our love and appreciation to God.
