1.We often take time for granted
We think we have all of it in the world.
We postpone our dreams and plans and all the important things we are supposed to do because we keep thinking we have a year loaded with days-365 days, days loaded with hours.
Until the deadline is here, until we realize we should have picked the birthday cake earlier,we should have submitted that proposal earlier, until sadly sometimes someone’s heart stops beating then do we realize that we don’t have all the time in the world and what we have is fragile.
We quite often we don’t know how to use time, sometimes we hold onto to time tightly and then we fail to savor life’s beautiful moments, we fail to pause and to inhale the moments, we chase projects and then we miss out on life’s simple moments.
But then sometimes we hold onto time loosely we let it slide by forgetting to devote ourselves to work that is necessary. Either way we have to appreciate the time given to us.
2.We often take for granted those who are with us in this moment.
We live our lives online, we want to see what is happening to a friend in Bangkok or some other parts of the world and we want to see how they are conquering the world.
Yet we forget those who are with us in this moment-those next to us.
We forget to pay attention to the pain and joys in their eyes.
We ignore the little child next to us longing for us to pay attention to the skills they learned at school, longing for us to watch them sing, dance or give a recitation.
We forget to pay attention to a spouse, a friend and a colleague next to us because we are noticing people who are far away and not with us in this moment.
We take for granted those that are here with us, we let them slip away from the sweet hold of our love while we fix our faces on the screen for hours, while we give half- hearted answers, we miss out on opportunity to connect.
We miss the vulnerability in their eyes, the way they stare into empty space looking for answers. We miss the anger in their eyes, we miss the smile forming on the side of their lips. We miss out on hearing out and absorbing great ideas they are articulating.
Sometimes we need to be totally available for those here with us in this moment. We ought to remember there are only a few gifts as great as the gift of absolute presence.
3.We often take Books for granted
“The object we call a book is not the real book, but its potential, like a musical score or seed. It exists fully only in the act of being read; and its real home is inside the head of the reader, where the symphony resounds, the seed germinates. A book is a heart that only beats in the chest of another. ” Rebecca Solnit
We often take books for granted just because there are many books that have written.
We forget in the words of Hemmingway that someone took time to bleed into the paper just so their message can reach us.
We forget discoveries and wisdom packed within the books.
We shouldn’t have to, we should read the books; the books that agree with our souls, the books that teach us something, the books that entertain us, the books that spark debate and the books that make us cry.
Because the real home of books is inside the head of the reader.
4.We often take for granted photography
“A photograph is a captured fragment of time—an art form that seeks to portray memories.” —Joshimer Binas
We have undeveloped films, we have wedding pictures and graduation pictures of those moments we cherished.
Years later when those we loved are gone then we enlarge pictures we never really cared for or when our cameras are lost we realize that we should have backed up the pictures.
We ought to remind ourselves that photos are profound memories and someday they will be all we have.
Photography is a reminder of remarkably moments that we have experienced.
5.We often take ourselves for granted
Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. St Augustine
I nod in agreement at the words of St Augustine.
How many times have you passed by yourself without wondering, without marveling at all the things you are?
You survived hardship, you survived brokenness, you learned calculus, you learned Schrodinger equation, you bore children, raised children you didn’t necessarily carry and loved them unconditionally, you lived on little, you saved money, you send your kids to school, you passed your exams.
You calmed yourself after a messy break up, you bounced back after you lost your job. You cook, you lift heavy weights, you play sport, you sing.
You have been a good friend to someone. That is huge and should not be taken for granted.
Now your turn
And I know there are many things around us some of which are fragile and we can loose in the blink of an eye.
Hold them closely and cherish.