Three Things I Take for Granted

In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.

Bertrand Russell

Hello there, full-time weekenders!

How many things are there in our life that we don't even consider are there? I bet there's quite a lot that go by or are used or are services or anything else that we just pretend like it should always be like that. What would happen if they disappear out of the blue? Would it be the same for you? If it's a person, would their lives be better without considering you? Tough questions and a tough topic.

Considering I spend too much time lost in thought trying to fathom the unfathomable, it stands to reason that I take too many things for granted that will in due time expire or be dead or just not be there for me.

Food

I think this used to be the #1 concern for Venezuelans during the tough years from 2015 to 2017. Things were dire. We ate very little and not even good enough to keep going. Yet, we had to keep pushing through. Nowadays, it seems like everything has reached a point of equilibrium. But will it last? There are lots of people still looking for scraps in garbage. You can see them where there containers are placed for the Waste Management Department to collect.

I consider that if it were me, I might die before trying to look for food in garbage. Not for pride or else. Don't remember the exact number of times I've got any parasite or bad disease related to digestion. It is the bane of my existence. So, I wouldn't want to get something that bad if I can't even eat food. Fortunately, there are trees around and some of them bear fruit all year long. However, this also stands to the test of having someone cook for you.

I can cook alright. I miss my grandma's cuisine. It was taken far too soon in my life. And yet, I thought it would last a little longer. Now, there's mom's cuisine. And that one I enjoy as much as possible. I know that as the last time she held me in her arms when I was a baby, there will come a time when she won't be able to cook. Would it break me? That's a thing for my future self to decide.

But yeah, having food is something I take for granted as it is a basic need of living beings.

Roof over my head

This is another one I have always had. I don't know what it means to live in the streets or not having a house. Yes, it is my parents. And I have lived in residences and workplaces and with family. However, nothing is a as good as being under your own roof. And I can say my own roof since I'm the handyman of the house. So repairs pay for my time here.

Considering how tough things would be if I had to live in the streets, I think I should be a little more aware and thankful of my time under this roof and in my room. I'm not a picky sleeper, to be honest. College taught me to take naps on the floor and keep going. It is a handy skill. But doing the same in a country where violence is a big issue and people love to take advantage of others in the worst ways possible, well, it is not the kind of prospect that seem appealing.

Time

Don't we all think we have all the time in the world? Some people want to achieve greatness; others, fame; some, money; myself, I just want to live and not bother any other person. I think that's a big flaw on the department of getting to do something transcendental in my life. But I enjoy too much the little and mundane aspects of existence to be worried about leaving a footprint in the world. I guess my quota is already done by having this blog. It isn't much, but it's something!

The clock keeps ticking and as time flows, it always feels like there's less and less. It's a habit of perception. Days and hours are the same. The problem is how we perceive it. When we are little, we want time to go by faster. We believe it is too slow. It happens because are existence is too brief. As we grow up and can compare time with something else, well, it seems like it flies!

And as it goes faster and faster, we tend to forget to take the time to appreciate our achievements. Sometimes, I take a bit to breathe and look at my progress. It makes you lighter like all the weight you put of your own shoulders can be set aside for a moment. But there are other moments when I know my time is going to waste. Not gonna talk about it, but it sucks. A lot!

So this is my reminder to myself and you to look at the things you have and which of them you don't consider to be important. Giving a thought about not having them, might catch you by surprise.

Thank you food on my plant and the hands that make it. Thank you roof over my head for keeping me safe of the scorching sun and rain. Thank you time for the chance of sharing with people, achieving things and having time to collect myself.