So in thinking of my parents, I suggest that as we ponder gratitude we should all give gratitude to all parents. Parents right now are changing diapers, feeding children, working to support their children. Not all parents are perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I have to imagine that the vast majority are doing the best that the can. I suppose this is why we have a Mother's Day and a Father's Day.
So, thanks to all Mothers and Fathers!
As a side note, in Tibetan Buddhism, we have all lived countless lives. Because of rebirth, karma (action and intention) and our inability to achieve liberation, we have been all sorts of animals (dogs, cats), in the hell realms, gods, people and mothers and fathers etc. So from this point of view, every sentient being around you has been your mother in one of your past lives. So we should love and respect everyone like we might a mother: I'd say an idealized mother.
- Checkout this lecture by Thubten Chodron, entitled "All beings have been our mother".
- Another wonderful article and video on this topic can be found here.
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