By Swami Chidananda *



Blessed Atman! The key to blessedness lies

in being aware of blessedness. If your

awareness is turned in different directions,

towards what you do not have, or what you

think or imagine you do not have, then this

wrongly directed pattern of thought will make

you unaware of the many things that you have.



Each one is distinct and unique in the eyes

of the Creator; there is none like that

particular being, there is no second. So

each one is precious and specially valuable

to the Creator. In the eyes of God, therefore,

each one is something special. This should

always be remembered. No one can replace you

in the role that you fulfil in God's creation

at any given place and at any given point in

time. You are most necessary and indispensable

for that particular set-up, in that particular

time-space context. And therefore rejoice and

be grateful to the Lord that He has given you

a role to perform.



Whether you perform your role perfectly and

in a meaningful manner or not is irrelevant,

because God expects each one to do what one is

capable of, at any point, at any time. God does

not expect an ant to haul a great timber as the

elephant does in the forest. Nor does God expect

the elephant to fly gracefully in the air as do

swallows and doves. He expects birds to fly and

He loves them for what they do. He expects

elephants to fulfil their role, giving dignity

to the forest and doing incredible jobs of

strength. And He expects man to live as man.

And each one in his own place, in his own

sphere, can fulfil a task and gladden the heart

of the Maker and contribute something to His

plan on earth.



And this is the truth. And to be aware of the

truth is to be worry-free, anxiety-free. To be

aware of the truth is to be grateful to God:

"You have made me unique, You have given me

a role, and You have prompted me and brought

to me all helpful factors to fulfil my role

and play my part. For that I ever give thanks."



No one is dispensable. No one is useless. No

one is lesser in the eyes of God or in the eyes

of those who try to avoid human judgment and

human standards of criticism, who accept God's

creation as it is, because God created it. For

them, whatever God thought fit to make, in any

manner whatsoever, is perfect; there is nothing

wrong in it, and it is acceptable. For them,

whatever emanates from God partakes of His

divinity and perfection, and therefore in God's

own plan, and in God's own way, is fully complete.



In this way, if we accept this truth that to God

we are unique, and so we are to all those who

are trying to look with the impartiality of God's

vision, then in the presence of God and of those

who are devotees of God, we must feel at home, we

have arrived; we may no longer feel distressed

in heart. One should rejoice in serene calmness

of spirit: "I have arrived, I am at home, I am in

the presence of God and I am totally accepted,

I am totally accepted."



Things are as they should be. The Lord is in

heaven and all is well on earth. This is the

faith, the firm belief of those who have faith

in the infinite love of God, who have trust in

the infinite goodness of God and who are sure

that in God's heart they have a special and unique

place. This is ever kept reserved for them and

no one can take it away from them, because God's

infinite heart is large enough to hold the entire

cosmos and everything within it.



Thus knowing, we should have great comfort in

our heart, great satisfaction and contentment.

And that is the secret of inner joy, the key to

blessedness and the pathway to peace, serenity and

inner calm, where there is no fretting, agitation

or restlessness.



The peace of God pervades the entire earth; the

peace of God pervades everywhere, without and

within. The peace of God is the one great truth

underlying all things, ever-present, ever-accessible

and available, ever-full and inexhaustible.



Try to live in the light of this truth, and the

heart and mind will be at ease. Never compare and

contrast, because there is no comparing and

contrasting amongst unique things. Every little

fledgling hatched from an egg is unique to its

parents; so is each being unique in itself, for

God is the parent of all. Hence, sages and saints

and men of wisdom look upon all with equal vision.



Therefore, rejoice that you are special to God

in His infinite love. Rejoice that you have your

own special place and role to perform in this

creation of God. And rejoice that His love is

immediately available to you, for He is not a

remote reality, but He is the indwelling Reality,

nearer to you than anything else on earth. And

rejoice that within you is the peace of God as

your own Self. You are God's peace and you have

a duty to perform, that is, to spread this peace

which you are to one and all. Live to spread this peace!



* For more by and about Swami Chidananda:

http://www.divyajivan.org