“To move forward you have to give back.” — Universe
How often do you pause to say ‘thank you’ for everything you have in life?
When you were young you took things for granted. I know. I did the same.
On your road to adult life you suddenly started appreciating things around you. As you’ve experienced more and more of the world out there, you realized all the things you’d been given were not rights, but privileges.
Being literate is a not a right — it’s a gift. Safety and peace is even more of a gift. There are humans out there who don’t have their five senses, so to have yours is a gift.
Sometimes it’s easy for you to say ‘life sucks’ because you’re going through hell. Well, if you are going through hell, keep on going (thank you Mr. Churchill). There are many more things + your sucky life to be grateful for.
Below is my list. I’m sure, you’ll have many more to add. Feel free to share.
1. Family — for being my closest kin in the world
2. Friends — for being my companions in life
3. Enemies — for helping me uncover my blind spots
4. Kind strangers — for brightening up my days when i least expect it
5. Sense of sight — for letting me see the colors of life
6. Sense of hearing — for letting me hear the rain drops, the voices of my loved ones, the music I like
7. Sense of touch — for letting me feel the breeze of the wind, the hands of my loved ones, any existing texture
8. Sense of smell — for letting me inhale the aroma of scented candles, favorite perfumes, and flowers
9. Sense of taste — for letting me savor the sweetness of fruits, the saltiness of tears, the sourness of pickles, the bitterness of ginger, and the spiciness of chili
10. Speech — for giving me the opportunity to express myself (sometimes loudly)
11. Mind — for the ability to think, to store memories, and to create new ideas
12. Tears — for helping me express my deepest emotions
13. Fears — so i know my opportunities for growth
14. Pain — for me to become a stronger human
15. Sun — for bringing in light & beauty to this world
16. Earth — for creating the environment for life to begin
17. Moon & Stars — for brightening up my night sky
18. Rainbows — for a beautiful sight to look forward to after the rain
19. Oxygen — for making life possible
20. Books — for adding wisdom to my life
21. Time — for a system to organize myself and keep track of my activities
22. Music — for lifting my spirits when I’m down
23. Challenges — for helping me grow
24. Love — for letting me feel what it means to be alive
25. You — for being who you are and making the world better
“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” — Cynthia Ozick