Gratitude

Gratitude is one of those things that we have to remind ourselves of, since it’s easy to become fixated on what we need and want. It strikes us in times when we realize how fortunate we are to have what we have, or when we lose something valuable (or when we’re on the brink of losing it), and we come to the realization that we should’ve cherished it more, whether that means spending more time with the people we care about, or not griping about how inadequate something is when it’s perfectly fine and functional (i.e. wanting a new cellphone, car, or computer, when what we have works just fine (and it’s only three or four years old!)).

In our day-to-day lives, our minds are set on the things we need to earn, achieve, or acquire. We’re driven to pursue what’s missing, what we don’t have, or what needs to be done. Regardless of all the possessions or accolades we have, there’s always something that’s missing, something that’ll fulfill us. Of course it never does once we have it, since that feeling of elation and contentment will soon begin to fade, and we become fixated on the next thing to pursue.

But in this state of mind, gratitude is hard to find. We don’t see it because we’re looking ahead rather than cherishing what we have and accomplished along the way. We must pause amidst the busyness of our lives to be grateful, and be still and allow the silence to help us discern it. Because it is only then that gratitude can be noticed, which will show us what we have–and how ephemeral it all is.