“We are living out that rainy day scenario others are saving up for.” These are the exact same words I read from a blog a while back. It hit me that hard to write this post. The writer is suffering from a chronic illness – a disease that persists for a length of time which may not have a cure. Plus, the fact that the number one cause of death in the world is due to chronic illness. Doesn’t it always seem to go, that we enjoy the things which may have long gone for others? This – we are guilty to some degree. In the midst of this COVID-19 crisis, I am trying so hard to be productive at home – to the point that I get to reflect on life. There are so so many things now that we no longer enjoy because of one reason – we need to stay at home! And by staying at home, we also realize the things we take for granted while we were all out there doing our things.
But I guess, this is really our nature. We continuously fill our minds of thoughts of the things that we don’t have and the experiences we are currently missing out on. So today, I thought of sharing with you some of the common things we take for granted.
13 Things we take for granted
1. Yourself
How are you? I mean – Do you still value “you”? What would it be like to have you as a friend? Come to think about how encouraging it would be having someone like “you” in your life. Imagine all the good things and the good times you create. Think about how you help you in making things better in life.
2. Our Home
Perhaps, while you are reading this from the comfort of your own home – sitting on the couch or lying on the bed. Having a safe place to live, eat and sleep is just a norm for most of us. There is no doubt that this is something a lot of us are taking for granted
3. Family
Coming home to a family is something to be thankful for because a lot of people who are away from their families, like me, cannot experience this on a daily basis especially now that we are on a community quarantine. As much as I want to go home to my family, I just can’t. So, if you are seating now on a home with your family around, you have to be grateful for it.
4. Food and Water
Typically, food and water is only a few minutes away. When we get hungry, we can just simply pull into any fast-food joints or order food online. However, at the worst of times for most of us, we could no longer grab anything we want.
5. Home Cooked Food
In relation to the above, I have now the means to cook my own food or try out a new recipe – a thing which I never had the chance to do when I was so busy doing work outside.
6. Communication
I guess this is the time to take advantage of our technology especially those who are away from their families. Talk to them. Send them messages. Appreciate them. To value people too lightly is a risk no one should take.
7. A Made Bed
I am referring to that clean smell hitting your senses right after you make your bed. I change my bed sheets every week and I can honestly say that a made bed is one of the most gratifying things on my chore list.
8. Our Health
If you can breathe fine, walk, use your hands, smell and taste, and think clearly without any difficulty, then you have to be grateful. Others are grasping for breath at this very minute, and you, being able to read this, is something that you should not take for granted. Keep yourself healthy.
9. Small Indulgences
What about those little treats for yourself? For me, it’s the iced coffee from McDonald’s and donuts from Dunkin Donuts. Now, I could no longer enjoy these little treats due to the pandemic. Now, I realize that these relatively small things are easily taken for granted.
10. Radio Music
Due to this house arrest, I finally have the chance to listen to the FM radio. In fact, I can listen to it 24/7. So happy to hear old music I used to listen before.
11. Pets
I think most of us who are pet owners sometimes forget that our pets are just short-lived. They won’t always be with us. That’s why this is the time that we pamper them with the love they also deserve. It’s not all the time that we will be staying at home round the clock.
12. Silence
“The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind.” — Caroline Myss. Silence is golden, and good for our health. Do I still need to say more?
13. Time
Years have a way of teaching us how time flies so fast. With the years, people realize how much time they took for granted – doing the things they should have done. Where did all the years go?
Thank you for reading this far. Be on guard. May it leave you with your eyes a bit more open. We all have the tendency to take things for granted – especially the simple things. During the worst days, it’s the “simple” and “little” things that matter to make a great day.
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Cha of Little Misadvencha is a Filipino Civil Engineer, researcher and a fur mom. She came from General Santos City and finds that everything in life teaches her a lesson. She is inspired to write about and out of her experiences, but later found out that it was her experiences that actually inspire her.
So true! I work from home so I used to staying at home. But after experience all this pandemic, I became more thankful of little things.
I agree with you. We’ve always taken these things for granted but ever since we went into ECQ, I’ve realized how important these things are.
This is a great post. Such a good reminder about little things that matter.