Continuing with our exploration and counting our blessings.

Mātā pitu upatthānam
Puttadārassa sangaho
Anākulā ca kammantā
Etam mangala muttamam

The support of mother and father,
the cherishing of wife and children
and peaceful occupations;
this is Blessing Supreme.

Parents: A Blessing Not to Be Taken for Granted

To support our parents, our parents must still be alive.

This simple truth is easy to forget. We move through life assuming there will always be another phone call, another visit, another chance to say what we meant to say. Yet impermanence does not wait for our convenience.

When our parents are still around — even when relationships are imperfect — their presence itself is already a blessing. The ability to care for them, listen to them, or simply hear their voice is something many people no longer have.

Recognising this helps us act now rather than later. Supporting our parents while we still can is not a burden; it is a rare opportunity, one that will not last forever.

Family: Love We Often Assume Will Always Be There

To cherish a spouse or children requires effort and commitment on our part. It also requires wisdom — the wisdom to recognise the blessings already present in our lives.

We often assume that the people we love will always be there: waiting for us to come home, waiting for us to be less busy, waiting for us to finally pay attention. Yet relationships are fragile and easily strained. Many of them suffer not from great harm, but from being taken for granted.

Ironically, we often find ourselves more patient and courteous with strangers than with our own spouse and children.

When we begin to see family as a blessing rather than a given, patience arises more naturally. Annoyances soften. Small moments regain their warmth. Love is no longer postponed to a better time.

Learning to appreciate the people in our lives as they are, right now, is a form of happiness that does not depend on acquiring anything new. With this shift in perspective, we can immediately begin to appreciate the familiar “family buzz” at home — the very sounds and moments we once overlooked.

Peaceful Occupations: A Blessing Hidden in Plain Sight

A peaceful occupation is one that does not require us to risk our lives or limbs, that does not place us in constant fear, and that allows us to earn a living with dignity.

Many people around the world work in dangerous conditions, unstable environments, or harmful industries simply to survive. If we are able to return home safely at the end of the day, if our work does not demand violence or exploitation, this too is a blessing.

Seen from this renewed perspective, our “boring” nine-to-five no longer appears so grinding. Even office politics begin to look small in comparison to the security and stability we already enjoy.

We may complain about deadlines, routines, or fatigue — yet it is precisely this stability that allows us to care for our families, support our parents, and practise the Dhamma.

Learning to Be Happy With What We Already Have

From this approach, the verse is not urging us to strive for more. It is inviting us to notice more.

When we recognise how much is already supporting us — living parents, loved ones, safe and honest work — contentment begins to replace restlessness. Gratitude replaces comparison. We learn to be happy not because life is perfect, but because we are aware.

This awareness itself becomes a protection against suffering.

A Gentle Reflection

Who in your life is quietly waiting for your call?
Which part of your daily routine keeps you safe without you noticing?
What blessings would you miss if they were suddenly gone?

The Buddha reminds us that happiness does not always come from changing our circumstances. Sometimes, it comes from seeing clearly what we already have — and cherishing it while it is still here.

And that, truly, is the highest blessing.

May all beings be well and happy.