Enjoy Today

Before I begin, how was your week? How'd that little challenge go? I am happy to say I managed to do it, even though it was actually harder than I anticipated (who knew waiting to check my messages on Wednesday would be so hard?! Wow...what have I become??)
In all seriousness, this week has gone pretty well for me. Uneventful, perhaps, but great! How? That's where I'll be kick starting today's topic: contentment.

Have you ever realized how incredibly ungrateful most of us are? Whoa, there! Don't exit out! This isn't meant to make you feel guilty! When I say "ungrateful", I mean more "oblivious" or "unaware". Just what are we oblivious, or unaware of, you may ask. Life. Simplicity. Needs being met. Let me paint you a little picture.

When you are born, you cry when something in you is upset or in need of attention. Sometimes it's a cuddle, or a changing, and other times it's a need for food, or a warm blanket. Assuming you have caring parents or guardians, you will be fed, changed, cradled in someone's arms, etc. You don't have to do anything to show your gratitude. You naturally will stop crying as soon as your needs are met.
You grow to be a toddler, and are soon taught to ask nicely for what you would like, say please and thank you, and not to whine or carry on. The reason we need to be taught this is because we no longer need to cry and whine and wail for what we need. Unless you have a disability or specific circumstances that prevent you from speaking, you can now ask and make your requests known. As much as we may want to whine and have a fit when we don't get our way, our initial needs can be met by just speaking. Things like gratitude, patience, and being polite are added to our somewhat cave-man-like mannerisms.

As we grow older still, (hopefully) the bad habits of whining and carrying on in a childish manner have been left behind. Also with time, unfortunately, our levels of fascination and gratefulness seem to drop. We are no longer awed by the sight of clouds, or a rainbow. We just don't apreciate things the same way. In other words, we aren't as grateful about the simple things. Unless something is stimulating us, amazing us, amusing us, we devalue it. If asked how a person's day was, unless something like a plane ticket to somewhere exotic was given to them, or they got a perfect score on an exam or assignment, that person would likely respond with a simple "Okay" or "Fine" or maybe even a "pretty good". These kinds of days we consider boring, useless, a waste of time. Yet the next day, that same person may have the misfortune of being in an accident, causing them to need a cast put on. That would be considered a "bad" or "terrible" day.
One thing I've learned in the more recent years, is to appreciate the days for their lack of unfortunate events. I've had some ups and downs, both emotionally and physically in my past, the present, and more than likely my future. Days where I am not in hospital, or crying in bed, or else hearing terrible news about a loved one, are not always in abundance, depending on what's going on. I now am finding myself able to make light of some misfortunes (not all, I am still learning!) and I absolutely LOVE days when nothing "bad" happens. I feel so happy and so at peace. In fact, it's these days that are starting to stay in my mind more than other days from my past, like my birthdays, or holidays, etc. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy them. I just now realize how important it is to live and love what we are given, as well as what we aren't given (the flu, rainy days, falls, etc.)

My point I'm trying to make is one that is often told, over and over. But it's only just starting to make sense to me now, and that is to enjoy the simple things; the quiet, our day-to-day lives, and also the lack of things that could be, but aren't. For on those days, I pray and I thank God for making me alive, giving me breath, and taking away the bad.


Hope you all have a fantastic week!
Love,