I will be the first admit that there is quite a few “things” in this world that I take for granted. And I am willing to bet that I am not the only one. When you hear the phrase “taken for granted”, most of us begin to compare the rich to the poor, with the mindset that most of the things that we take for granted are material items such as luxury cars, tv’s, and nice clothing. We probably go even further and acknowledge that we take food items, clean water, and education for granted as well. Although these are most likely true, there are somethings that the population as a whole may take for granted - not surrounding material items.
1. Being Able to Walk
Walking is something that is inevitable in today's fast paced world. Whether it's to the store, to work, to get to your kitchen and so on, walking is a major part of our day. I never thought about how much that I take it for granted until I hurt my foot, leaving me unable to walk normally. It sucked. However, as I continued limping around I began to look at all the people who were in the same position as me, and how much they were affected. Now, I never take walking for granted. It's something so small, but when taken away - its life changing.
2. Love
Of course most people realize how lucky they are to have such a loving significant other in their lives. They are even luckier if it is real love - you know, the heart pounding, cheek-to-cheek smile love. In our wonderful 21st century lives, it's hard to find lasting love due to social media, and our overall modern society. So when we do find that, we should be a little more grateful and realize how lucky we really are.
3. Disappointment/Sadness
Who enjoys being sad or disappointed? Hopefully no one. But having these emotions can be beneficial for us. Being able to feel sad or disappointed about something helps guide us to and from things that we want or enjoy. They help to point out the things that really matter most to us when we can’t see them on our own. This extra guidance is something that people long for, and many never receive. So if you're lucky enough to be disappointed, be appreciative (at least after the disappointment).
4. Now
Many people are so busy planning, looking into the future, and preparing for the weeks ahead. We cease to forget about the now - the moment that we are living in. A lot of times we don’t realize that small moments of our life meant so much to us. It's a wonderful thing to have - to be able and live in the moment, to be present in that moment. Many of us lack the ability to do so. If you have it, be thankful - you are one of the few.
The list could go on and on. There are millions of things, both nonmaterial and material that we should be more grateful for. But I have found that these four continue to help me, to lead me, and to make me more happy. They are so simple and underestimated, yet so powerful and impactful. We sometimes become oblivious to what really matters, and when it comes down to it - what we should cherish the most.
