Speeches of Hyo Jin Moon 2006-2008
Delivered Sunday at Belvedere Estate in Tarrytown, New York
Hyo Jin Moon Speaks on Gratitude, Page 372

Some episodes may contain explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.

Gratitude

December 2, 2007 

Good morning. (Good morning.) 

Crazy day, huh? (It had started snowing heavily.) (Laughter.)

The topic is gratitude. What are you grateful for?

Until you are a young teenager you have no concept of gratitude. Because if you have just left the nipple I don't think you have a concept of gratitude. It's when you start to struggle to find yourself that you understand the concept of gratitude. And you ask yourself, "What are you struggling for?" I mean you can be fortunate enough to become the richest man on earth. But, how do you start to feel that gratitude? Let's say you're going to inherit billions of dollars because your parents are so rich. How are you going to feel gratitude? Let's say that you came up with some kind of scheme and it's making lots of money, and you feel rich. Why? Because people are buying into your scheme. So, how do you feel gratitude?

Think about even the simplest scenario, how does one feel gratitude? Does someone actually feel grateful about anything? And why? Think about it. How do people feel those things? What's the trick? What's the thing that will make those people, and you if you're in that situation, feel grateful? These are basic things we need to question and answer for ourselves. We have to do that, and it has to be clear, because no one else is going to live your life. Some things are basic and you must know the answers. Only then can you understand what gratitude is. Because you live, you live. You don't live by someone else's name. You don't live because of someone else's existence. You live because you live, and that's important, and that's what you should be grateful for. That's where it starts. You can't be somebody else. 

What am I grateful for? You tell me. If you want to build an ideal world, then understand that first, and from that, you move, you build, and that's a step. It's a long process, but that's what you have to accept, because finding yourself is a difficult process, something you can be grateful for. Do you feel that? So, keep on looking. Everyone does this, everybody has that stuff. You know what I'm saying? What am I grateful for? What is that process? What is my best? I know you have it!

God is fair and God is good. He gave you goodness. What is that stuff? That's your duty to yourself. Because if you don't understand that, there's no possibility for anything. What's the point of trying? You're going to fail anyway, unless you understand the basics and give yourself the opportunity to succeed. You have to know what you're grateful for in life, while you're breathing. Okay? So, if somebody asks you that question, you'd better know how to answer that stuff. Otherwise, don't believe in God. So, do that first, because you don't live that long you guys! I'm telling you! So, you need to be grateful for what you are.

You want something more? Why? Why do you want something more when you can already feel gratitude? Because you want to be like that guy, or that guy, or that guy, or that guy, that guy, that guy? (Each time Hyo Jin nim points in a different direction with both hands acting as if he is shooting two pistols.) You're an outlaw, huh? A gunslinger, huh? Don't be stupid. That's what you're doing, basically, if you do that. You're gun­slinging. You're acting like an outlaw. Why? What's the point? Do you want to go to jail in the end? Do you want to kill yourself because you can never reach that goal?

People do plastic surgery. There's a lot of TV shows about that, it's crazy stuff! And it's popular with some people. Why? There's actually a show, "Beauty to the Beast," or something like that. They literally just cosmetically transform people and then they rate who's better looking in the end! It's crazy stuff! That's the ideal world, huh? Well, that's the ideal world, I guess, in America.

You can do that, but is that how you're going to make everything ideal? That's just the definition of crazy stuff. That's what makes young girls sick. Right? (Yes.) And you watch that stuff, and why do you watch it? Because everybody wants to be like that. The cool kids. What the hell is cool anyway? I used to chase that stuff too, when I was very young, but you get older and that stuff doesn't mean anything to you anymore. Why? Because of what you start to think of. You try to live for the sake of others. Right? That's what's good. Right? And that's why. And it is difficult. Trust me, I know how to take care of myself. I know how to serve myself well. But as you get older, that's not important. You know you're dying and the basic questions are more important than what you immediately see. And you will die.

So be grateful for what you have and the life that you live.