Gratitude and humility to factory workers in Sri Lanka who showed me gold

Many years ago, when I first started working in textiles, I am grateful that I started this work journey in the textile industry on the paradise island of Sri Lanka.  I was sent there for training by the company I was working for. Part of the training was spent on the shop floor of a garment factory for about a week supposedly familiarising myself with the technical aspect of the business. I don’t remember much of the “technical” stuff, but what I saw there in the mornings stayed with me. I got to know the people more than the industrial processes.

Every morning when the new day shift workers came to their machine stations, some of them  would kneel down and deep bow three times to whatever machines they were going to operate that day. Exactly the same way worshippers bow to the Buddha statue in Sri Lanka, or to their teachers. At first I thought that they were just being “superstitious” but as I spent more time with them I realised that it was one of the gratitude practices they had to express their feelings of gratitude for having something and a precious opportunity which helped them to survive, and sometimes even  thrive and move on to better things later, to take care of their family, give them safety and health, and so many things I was taking for granted. At least while they were at it it focussed their minds on working for better things ahead.

Thank you workers of Sri Lanka for teaching me gratitude and sharing the positive energy. And made me realise that no matter where we are in the moment,  deep down we share the same struggles and all have dreams and desires, and our foundational needs are to survive, and to provide for those we love, bringing security, health, safety, peace of mind  to our families and those we love. I realise that I am surrounded by a lot of miracles (I just turned on the tap and fresh 100% safe water just came out!) which I forget to be grateful for nearly most the time.