Two people were presented with a 250ml glass containing 125ml of water. When asked to describe the glass, the first person said, “It’s half full.” The second person, on the other hand, described it saying, “It’s half empty.”
While both descriptions may technically be correct, the different descriptions serve to highlight the stark contrast between the mindset of the two people. The first person has a positive mindset, while the second has a negative mindset. A person’s mindset is such an important element that if the correct mindset is created, literally half the battle against depression will be won.
In future, if we are ever beset by negative thoughts, turn our minds and hearts to the infinite favours of Allah Ta‘ala.
Let us not feel depressed if the elaborate outfit we wished to buy was sold to somebody else. Instead, let us think of those people who cannot even afford basic clothing.
If we are not embarking on a fancy, foreign holiday, let us think, for a moment, of our brothers and sisters who cannot afford to take a break from work.
If our meal does not turn out to be as tasty as we had hoped, let us think of those people who live on the streets and eat the scraps they find in bins.
If our vehicle is not the latest model or the exact colour that we wanted, let us think of the people who do not even own a vehicle. They often stand in the rain, waiting for public transportation which takes double the time to carry them home.
If we are beset by crime and threatened with violence, think of our brothers and sisters in war-torn countries who go to sleep at night fearing that a bomb may fall upon them.
It is this mindset that creates gratitude and contentment within a person. On the flip side of the coin, without this mindset, a person can be handed the world on a shiny gold platter and he will still remain discontent.