appreciate what I have

As we get older we appreciate the people around us more. We also start appreciating other things through life experiences. I mean, I didn’t realize how much a lousy president would influence me or our country. I appreciate the beautiful weather I have nearly every day and the fact I don’t have to drive each day. I have a lot of time to reflect lately on a lot of great things about each person and everything around me, including my two little cats! ;)

I think I really appreciate most of what I have. Most of all I appreciate the people around me and my family and friends. I am far away from a lot of them but I still love my relationships with them. Recently, there have been some signs that maybe I should move back but it’s not in me yet to do that. I’ll know if/when the time is right but right now I am content b/c I do know what I have and I appreciate all that is around me.

Sometimes we forget about the easy things in life. Today, I was walking out of the bank and I saw this handicapped guy trying to dissemble his wheel chair and put it in the back seat of his car. It seems too many people are always running around, in a hurry for one thing or another, yet they don’t take time to step back to see the life that is passing them by. In this respect, it’s a blessing for the handicapped man because even if he is in a hurry, he could only go so fast.

Another thing I thought about when I saw him is something I have preached to people for a long time. So many people just sit around watching TV, eating, doing nothing while so many people like the person in a wheel chair would probably give anything to have the ability to walk. So many people in this country, in this world, take for granted the fact they can walk. I always think about how I would feel if something happened to me tomorrow and I could not walk any more. Would I be happy with my life in those terms? Would I feel like I made the most of my legs or would I dwell on the countless days of sitting around in front of the TV?

My family was in the a couple weeks ago and it made me appreciate what a great family I have. It was wonderful spending a couple weeks with them since I’m now about 2000 miles away. I know life is short and precious, even if it’s a cliche… and I wanted to enjoy it while they were here even though some days I was just so worn out from entertaining!

I grew up with a good amount of things- not too much, not too little. When I was in highschool, my family moved into a more affluent neighborhood and that is when I began really noticing people did not appreciate, or know, what they had. I always wished I could take some of my friends to Poland while it was under Communist regime in 1988 so they could see how hard simple things were to come by- meat, bread, cars, etc.

In the US, people don’t think about this sort of thing because they always had what they wanted. However, this causes a stigma with other countries like those in the Middle East and all of a sudden, we’re the hated ones (and yes, I know there is much more to that). Nevertheless, it comes back to the fact the Americans do not get out enough to see the world for what it is; thus, not always appreciating what they have even if it’s through blatant ignorance.

And this is not just about food and material things, it is also about physical things. People who cannot see, hear, walk, or that have other handicaps. Or people who live in countries where their freedoms are compromised. When I start thinking about all that, I try to appreciate everything I have and own because too many people take simple things like this for granted. Sometimes we don’t appreciate things until they’re gone, such as loved ones…

Sometimes it’s too easy to forget to appreciate what we have so through this goal I hope to think about it and appreciate it as much as I can!