Nothing unusual about that. But responses were all discussions of problems with STUFF. Cars. Computers. Sprinkling systems. Lawnmowers. Burglar alarms. Phones. Everybody's stuff was causing headaches. Okay, so I guess short answer to question would have been, "I have a headache."

It's not that I didn't want to hear story behind headache--it's that headache wouldn't have existed without all that stuff.

Is your stuff causing you headaches? Do you spend more time and energy and money on maintaining your things than on improving yourself? It's easy to get caught up in it, isn't it?

I don't want to complain about stuff. I'd rather not have it.

Okay, so we have to have a home, some form of transportation, and some way to interact with world. But maybe we don't need biggest, fastest, hippest version of all three.

Take a look at your stuff, and thinkabout what it takes to maintain it. Now, think about time and energy you spend investing in yourself and your own development as an Excellent Human.

Who's winner....you or your STUFF?

Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet, philosopher, painter, songwriter, composer and Nobel laureate, said this:

"The sparrow is sorry for peacock at burden of his tail."

“Dear heavenly Father, thank you for my family and relatives and for all blessings. Thank you for giving me only good dreams and good thoughts.”

As this prayer echoes around room, it somehow exudes a faint acapella amidst evening tranquility. Since this is about thankfulness for family, blessings, good dreams, and good thoughts, I develop goose bumps. I am amazed on how they came up with it. It’s astonishing to know that some kids pray for good thoughts rather than for gold. After all, why would children pray about this seeming unpopular theme?

How many kids do you know who would be thankful for what they have? Most of kids I know pray for more toys, more money, more food, trips to Disney and McDonald’s, new jeans, Nintendo or Game boy. If they don’t get new gears and gadgets, they throw tantrums and fits of notoriety.

What makes this prayer so different and yet so special? How can this prayer fight stress?

This prayer is about thankfulness.

Thankfulness is more than just acceptance of things received. Thankfulness is celebration of life – right now. It is proclamation of God’s bounty as never-ending – that there is more to come. It is declaration that what is wished for is already achieved.

Thankfulness celebrates not just good things received, but also hurts, pains, defeats, losses. By so doing, thankfulness transcends all of them.

This prayer is about peace of mind.

To be thankful is to be at peace with oneself, others, and God. Peace of mind is long-lasting and is gateway to eternity. It goes beyond physical urge of pleasure and greed. Like early morning mist, it spreads freshness. And like dawn, it provides a glimpse of a new beginning.

This prayer is about having a dream.