We take a lot for granted. People often lose a sense of awe for the beauty of nature because they become accustomed to it. They take for granted someone’s kindness until it stops. They curse their jobs but miss aspects of work when they retire. Often health is appreciated more when we are faced with illness. We seek happiness when we realise we let it slip way. But we shouldn’t have to lose treasures before we realise that they were treasures in the first place.

No one can be happy all the time. There will always be periods of unhappiness in our lives. However, the people who experience a more sustainable kind of happiness seek meaning by spiritually connecting with the gifts all around them. They take nothing for granted. They approach their life with a sense of gratitude. They are grateful for the fact that they are breathing. They rejoice because they are loved. They celebrate their health. They reach out and touch the world. They hear the birds singing. They play with their children knowing that childhood days pass quickly. They invest in friendships because they see them as gifts. They mind their health because they know that it is precious. They reach out in kindness to others because they believe that we all share this world.

We should count our blessings more. Life can hurt and wound us. It’s not about denying the negative but celebrating the positive. We are all blessed. Wonderful things have happened to us all. And by remembering the good things of life more often we will find ourselves in much better form!

(C) Shane Martin