How easy is it for you to have a bad day? You forgot your phone charger at home, missed your meeting, dropped your coffee, got your new shoes all wet, it's too hot outside, your cat peed on your coat…. The reasons are endless. There are days that seem to be constantly plagued by misfortunes, unhappiness, and disappointments. Why is it that those days are so memorable, but all the others are not? There is so much beauty in the small everyday things we take for granted, and even our worst days are filled to the brim with blessings. Our country’s wild obsession with instant gratification and materialistic consumerism often blurs the lines between what we need and what we want. Take a minute and realize just how fortunate you are.
You woke up in a bad mood this morning.
The minute your alarm sounded and your eyes opened a negative thought probably crept into your mind as you realized how tired you still were. There it is - your first and most important blessing being masked by the stupid disappointment over the hours of shut-eye you clocked. You are alive today, but someone else did not get to wake up this morning, and somewhere people are mourning them. They took their last breath last night without even knowing it. Do not curse your first.
You can’t figure out what to wear.
After standing at your closet door for close to 10 minutes removing and replacing hangers you still can’t figure out what to wear. You angrily think to yourself how much you really need to go shopping, and how much your current wardrobe isn’t cutting it. Once again, the very real blessing of having a selection of warm comfortable clothing to call your own is masked by your immature indecision. Can you imagine your closet in the middle of a refugee camp?Picture the elation that would course through the hearts and minds of the refugees if they had the option to dress in so many items. Do not take clothing for granted.
You jump in your car, already 20 minutes late and realize you need gas.
All around the world there are people who walk miles and miles every day for the bare necessities, water, food, jobs, etc. The fact that you own a vehicle is a huge blessing. You have the ability to transport yourself and various others anywhere at anytime. You have a dependable mode of commuting to work every day. You do not need to evaluate train and bus schedules like so many others do, in the rain, snow, and extreme heat. Do not take your vehicle for granted.
You missed lunch, so you are LITERALLY starving.
Just shut up. When I hear people make this comment, or even slip up and blurt it out myself I feel disgusted. I have never ever known true starvation. I have never experienced the fear of not knowing where my next meal was coming from. The number of our world’s children who go to sleep every night hungry is incredible. These babies miss out on the nutritional fortification that their tiny bodies require for adequate growth. You can wait two more hours until your home for dinner. Do not take your daily meals or food options for granted.
This list could continue for days. I am admittedly a habitually negative person, often without even realizing it. I am quick to complain about things that I know I should not take for granted. I am working on my “attitude of gratitude” and trying much harder to be thankful for everything. The act of prayer and just stopping to enjoy my surroundings really helps me. There are many privileges that I get without even realizing it, simply because of the country I was born into. Yes, there are a lot of issues in our country today, and I am not denying that. I am insisting, though, we Americans got it good. Every morning I do not feel like getting out of bed and going to class, I think of girls like Malala Yousafzai who were banned from even obtaining an education but fought for it regardless. If she could take a bullet for her beliefs, I should not take for granted the unrestricted access and support I have to an enormous amount of education. I live in a suburban neighborhood right outside of New York City, the greatest city on Earth. My daily skyline view is on the bucket list of millions of people around the world! I hardly ever realize the treasure I have just under six miles away.
As I mentioned before, I could continue listing my blessings because they are plentiful and ever present, but I won’t. Everybody has a specific set of individual ones that are special to them. All I’m asking is that you take the time to realize them before you counteract them with a complaint.
