Just be thankful for what you have in the moment, but most

The words of Santan Dave, “Just be thankful for what you have in the moment, but most importantly, work hard. The things that you work hard on have a lot of impact,” rise with the resonance of an ancient proverb. In them, we hear the two pillars upon which all noble lives are built: gratitude and labor. For one without the other is incomplete — gratitude without effort breeds idleness, and labor without gratitude breeds bitterness. But together, they form the path of meaning, where one cherishes what is already given, and yet strives with fire to shape what might yet be.

To be thankful for what you have in the moment is to stand still and recognize the wealth already in your hands. The ancients told of men who possessed kingdoms yet felt impoverished because their eyes were set only upon what they lacked. By contrast, the wise man, even with but bread and water, found feasting in the spirit because he measured life by the gifts of breath, companionship, and peace. Gratitude is the anchor that keeps the heart steady amidst storms of ambition. It prevents the soul from chasing shadows, reminding us that even in the smallest blessings lies abundance.

But Santan Dave does not end with thanksgiving; he calls us onward: “Most importantly, work hard.” For the ancients taught that fortune favors the industrious. The farmer who tills the soil with diligence reaps grain enough to sustain his people. The craftsman who labors through the night leaves behind creations that outlast his own life. Hard work is not merely toil, but the transformation of raw potential into living legacy. It is the fire that tempers steel, the sweat that makes victory sweet, the discipline that turns fleeting opportunity into lasting impact.

History offers us a shining example in the life of Thomas Edison. He was not the son of privilege, nor the possessor of rare genius alone, but a man who labored tirelessly, declaring that genius is “one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Through countless failures, he pressed on, thankful even for the lessons found in error. His hard work gave the world the light bulb, the phonograph, and countless inventions that reshaped human life. In him, we see Santan Dave’s wisdom embodied: gratitude for the chance to try, and relentless effort until impact was made.

Yet, within this teaching lies a subtle balance. For gratitude without effort leads to complacency, while effort without gratitude leads to endless striving without peace. To walk the way of wisdom is to live in the tension of both: to be content yet not stagnant, to be ambitious yet not ungrateful. This is the path of the hero, the sage, and the artist. To give thanks for today, yet labor with all one’s strength for a better tomorrow.

The lesson for us is clear: let us be present in the moment, acknowledging every blessing, however small. Let us not despise what we already hold while yearning for more. And at the same time, let us throw ourselves wholly into the work before us, for what we work on with devotion and persistence gains weight, influence, and power. The world is shaped not by idle wishes, but by those who put heart and hand together in the service of their craft.

As practical action, begin each day with a moment of gratitude — speak aloud one thing you cherish. Then set yourself a labor worthy of your energy, and approach it with devotion, as if it were to echo through generations. Do not shun difficulty, for in difficulty lies the forge of greatness. And measure your life not by how much you receive, but by how much of yourself you pour into the things that matter.

Thus, Santan Dave’s words become not only counsel for the present age but a teaching for all time: be thankful, work hard, and trust that your labor shall bear fruit beyond your sight. This is the way of legacy, this is the way of impact, and this is the way of a life well-lived.