Appreciating Each Moment
I was discussing with a friend of mine some weeks ago about the blessedness of gratitude and he made a profound statement that gave me so much insight. He said "you did not do anything special to qualify to see this moment, so be grateful for it." Each day, you leave the house for your daily hustles and come back safe; plying the same road that others took and never returned, but you returned. This should qualify for gratitude. There are things that are often overlooked but should be among the basis of our gratitude - for example, the gift of life. For seeing each moment alive is more than enough to stay grateful.
Some people tend to feel sad over the fact that they may have been expecting something to happen for them and it has not happened. Or they might be thinking that they have not gotten what they are looking for. However, they tend to easily forget that there are many things that they have that others are still looking for. More so, they have also gotten things that they never even had to ask for. This is why I believe that there will always be reasons to be joyous, happy with life and remain grateful. Imagine if you had gotten all you have ever wanted but lack the good health or even the life to enjoy it, of what use will it be? It is when you keep your mind on positivities that you will see reason to be grateful.
Gratefulness also covers a whole lot of things. It also finds expression in your relationship and interaction with others. If someone does something for you, maybe a favour or something else, the right thing to do is to show appreciation as a form of gratitude. It does not matter the size of what the person does for you, it still qualifies for gratefulness. After all, it is not your right but it is done as a privilege. Even if it is your right, nothing still stops you from showing gratitude. Of course, what if the right was denied, what would you have done? To show gratitude does not remove anything from you, rather it brings out the good in you and makes you a better person.
I have come to understand that appreciation for the past favours can actually open you up for future favours. It is easier for someone to do good to someone that has the lifestyle of gratitude than an ingrate who never appreciates anything. It is worthy to note that gratitude or gratefulness is not something you do occasionally or when you feel like, it should be a lifestyle and a way of living for you. You should also know that gratitude is not only expressed when someone does something to you, it should be what you are remarked for. This will make you a happier person and you will tend to focus more on the bright and positive things of life.
No matter where you are, irrespective of what you have seen or not, there are still many things to be grateful for. Imagine someone being sad that they have no shoes, but was quick to forget that there are people who do not even have feet to wear the shoes. At least be grateful for what you have while pursuing after what you want. If you will be able to think well, you will not have difficulty in thanking well. If you know how many people that are praying and wishing to have just a tiny fragment of what you have or even be in your current position, you will be grateful of where you are.
You may not have the entirety of the whole world as your possession, but what you have in your own level, you should learn to appreciate it. Trust me, it is by being grateful for the little that you will qualify to see the much bigger. If you will take a reflection down memory lane and see where you started and the journey so far, you will have a lot of reasons, not only to be happy, but to be eternally grateful. The future is obviously bright, but you will need a positive mindset to be able to navigate from the present to the future. So in whatever thing you do and anywhere you find yourself, always try to stay positive and focus on the good things of life in order to stay grateful.
Thanks for reading
