Reverberations.............

Prayer - Show of Gratitude

It was a Monday morning. After dressing up, Bommi got on with her next routine of taking breakfast. She sat next to her younger brother. She had to finish her breakfast as early as possible and proceed to her school which is four kilometers away from her house. Her quarterly Examinations starts on that day. She usually prepares well even for class tests. Being a class first student, she carries the responsibility of keeping her position intact. Her Mother brought Hot idlies on a plate and served. Her mother is a woman of stature and she has role modeled, not only Bommi, but also many of her students. Being a school teacher and mother brings immense satisfaction to her and She enjoys the responsibility. "Bommi, Did you offer your prayers after taking bath?" asked Viji, Bommi's mother. "No Amma" replied Bommi hesitantly. "Go, Bommi. Its very important to offer prayers before you do anything" said Viji, in a clear tone. By nature, Bommi is an intelligent and thinking girl. She would never accept anything until she gets convinced. "But Why should I, Amma? What is in the prayer? I have prepared very well for the examinations. I have full confidence in me" Came the reply. Her Eyes were wide and Eye brows raised up. Viji stopped for a while and thought, there is no better time to educate her about 'What prayer means'. "Dear", Viji came and stood near Bommi and talked, "I know, you are very intelligent and a hard working girl, and I also know that you are very confident about your examination. I am very happy. But Dear, I understand that you have not understood clearly the meaning of Prayer." "No Amma" Bommi interrupted Viji and continued, "I know What prayer means, I have seen each and everyone of us stand before God and pray to him to offer us Health, Wealth, and What not. Those Who pray before god are spineless, as far as I am concerned". Viji amazed about Bommi's intellection. "Bommi, I am proud of you. You are right. It is not correct to pray before god to Give us 'This, That', like a work-shy person, when everything is available before us. That is not a prayer at all. It is begging. Now I will tell you 'What prayer is'. Bommi looked at Viji curiously. Viji talked in a soothing voice, "Dear, Prayer means 'Show of gratitude', It is not asking God for wealth, as you beleived so far." "You mean, Thanking God?, What for?" Bommi asked innocently. "Yes. You must thank, Not only God, but everything that use and things that you don't use in your day to day affairs." This answer confused little Bommi. Understanding it, Viji went on. "You must thank God for having given you this birth in this wonderful world, You must thank for being born with all these ablities to walk, to talk, to write, to think and so on. You know that many the blind people we see are born blind. You must thank him for providing all that you need in this world around you" Viji paused for a moment. "Amma, Thanking God is Ok, But...." Bommi could not complete her question, but Viji understood What had stuck bommi, So she continued "You are going to eat this dish. See, until yesterday this vegetable was alive on its branch of a plant, as fresh as we were. But now it has sacrificed its life for the sake providing life to us. Is it not our duty to thank one who had given its very life for us? I need not tell you 'To whom you must thank', You are very intelligent and capable of using your intellect, which many other children with mental disability can't use, So think and list out the things you need to thank and you will find the list endless." Viji continued, "So Bommi, it is not an easy task. But try, when you do, you get immense satisfaction and your entire outlook towards the world will change forever" Viji concluded. Bommi stood up and moved to the Prayer room.