At some point in your life, you’ll probably have heard the rather cliched phrase: don’t take things for granted. Like, maybe you have a grandparent whom you’re rather close with, until one day you don’t have them anymore and agony comes crushing in. Like ‘ooh no, why did I take them for granted!’ and stuff like that.
But at the same time, reminders to be grateful for what you have and not take things for granted can also get somewhat annoying! Heh, imagine this: Your mother always forces you to finish all your food and says: Think of the poor people in Africa who don’t even have any proper food to eat!
Yeah. You got it. Might even get to the point where it feels irritating. ‘Seriously, why are you being such a party pooper!’, ‘Don’t live from a lack mentality!’ and stuff.
But today, let’s take a quick look at the often-overlooked truth in this statement, shall we.
Now, imagine this.
Based on the social norm, you have to go shower everyday. Sometimes you find it pretty annoying as you don’t really care to be honest. Still you gotta humour that social norm and go through the motions just for the sake of it… But one day. A bad fever has you down hard! You’re sweating so much, urgh!
And of course, you really, really, feel like going for a shower.
But hey! You find that your body is so weak you can hardly even get yourself in the cubicle in the first place. And then you stare at the showerhead and groan. You gotta lift it up, support its weight…
What once seemed like an annoyance to you, now poses a challenge. Difficulty. Obstacle. Painful even.
…Sad.
And there we have it!
So basically, a quick mindset shift is required here.
From the standpoint of the higher, don’t groan as you’re disturbed with and annoyed by the distasteful plight of the latter.
Instead, briefly picture yourself being temporarily placed in their situation for a time due to an unfortunate stroke of circumstances…
Then back to yourself again.
Ahh! No fever. Strong, fit, healthy! Cool, clear water streaming over me!
And there we have it folks!
Things that are so easy and effortless for some, are difficult for others. Obstacles they must surmount…
So hey! when you see them, even if you don’t wanna muster the slightest bit of empathy, at the very least, don’t complain and grumble and feel distaste! They’re seriously having it hard! What’s easy as breathing to us could be somewhat more challenging for them! And, heyy, think about it! What’s so different both parties in the first place!!!
Maybe once, or maybe normally, or maybe just if fate had played its cards slightly differently, they’d be no different from us whatsoever!!!
Everyone’s the same – a human being, incarnated, made to experience life.
In a sense, we’re all fellow travellers on this journey of life!
And so, back to the topic.
I still wouldn’t recommend that we actually try and imagine ourselves in the plight of the lower from the standpoint of the higher. That’s really a stretch oftentimes and it doesn’t make for a pleasant experience too huh.
Still, how about this very simple exercise.
Just feel blessed at what you can enjoy oh, so naturally and effortlessly! Appreciate it and try to enjoy it to the fullest as you live in the moment! Just set your future goals and wants aside for the moment and really be!!!
Heh, there’s an interesting thing I noted about us human beings. What we have, we simply incorporate into our landscape and look for the next thing. That’s just how we’re designed to work!!! Moar moar moar!
But don’t forget, even those things that are already incorporated into our lil backstories are not exactly fused permanently into our circumstances!
So, back to the cliched. Don’t take them for granted! Cherish them too!
And I even wrote a song about this, and so I’m gonna share it here. It’s named Elapse, after the passing of time!
Alright, that’s the end of this article. Will be posting more, schedule yet undecided. Love and light, my fellow beings! Till next time!