Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
6 December 2017
Birthday
“Gratitude”
Birthday is a single day which signifies the birth of anyone. Anyone may have the birthday on the same day. Therefore, no day is reserved just for one individual to be born on that day. Many are born on the same day.
Birthdays are usually a joyous day for the parents of the child whose birthday it is. Similarly, every day and in every moment of the day everyone should be joyous, because every child is a child of the intelligence in life or God and, therefore, needs celebration.
On the birthday there is rejoicement of the child or adult who is born. All are happy for the day. All are, however, not happy for every moment of the birthday, including the birthday individual.
If birthday is precious and is rejoiced, everyone, including the birthday individual, should be happy in every moment of his or her birthday. So what could the understanding be that would make everyone happy, not only in every moment of the birthday, but also happy every moment of every day in the year, needs deep pondering by everyone.
Firstly, all are children of God or the intelligence in life. Birthday is a reminder to everyone that every member of his or her family is a child of the intelligence in life, meaning God.
Secondly, during birthday celebration, there is love, peace, harmony and service to all who are present for the occasion. A birthday cake is prepared and given to everyone to rejoice.
The significance of a birthday cake is that every word spoken in every moment of the day is to be sweet like the cake. This brings in peace and harmony to every moment of everyday life.
A birthday signifies that love, peace, harmony and service can be present in every moment of every day in his or her house, if he and she talks sweetly with love every day to anyone in the house.
If he or she talks with love every time in every moment of daily life, then that is gratitude to God or the intelligence in life. Therefore, a birthday is yet another opportunity to be in love and peace in every moment of any day with anybody.
Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
:© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2017
Editor’s Note:
There is nothing intermittent or transient about love, peace and harmony. These natural qualities accompany man throughout his or her life and, in truth, they are the substance of every moment that is. The intelligence of life never fails to remind man on this most commonly celebrated occasion of his or her existence - birth and annual celebrations of that birth - of these natural qualities. There have never been nor will there ever be limits or boundaries for love, peace or harmony, save only those in the illusory and conditioned mind of man. This article is gifted by an enlightened man. We are deeply grateful.
Julian Capper, UK.
German Translator’s Note:
Dr. Shankar once more, helps us understand that every day is a happy day if understood rightly. The examples he chooses are always very significant for every man and woman alike. Everybody celebrates a birthday and this is the occasion to understand deeply, not only what a birthday really means, but what every day, every moment, really means: unconditional love and care.
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany.