Sometimes, I think we spend too much time looking at what we don't have that we forget to appreciate what we already have.
We desire better jobs, more money, bigger houses, better opportunities, and many other things. There is nothing wrong with having aspirations, but in the middle of pursuing these things, I have learned that I must also pause and appreciate the blessings that are already present in my life.
Today, I want to share three things I am grateful for.
The first thing I am grateful for is life.
It may sound ordinary because waking up every morning has become a normal part of my routine. But when I think deeply about it, life is actually a precious gift.
Every morning I wake up is another opportunity.
An opportunity to learn something new.
An opportunity to work on my dreams.
An opportunity to correct yesterday's mistakes.
An opportunity to meet people and create memories.
An opportunity to become a better version of myself.
I have had days when things did not go the way I expected. I have experienced disappointments, frustrations and moments when I wondered how certain things would work out. But the fact that I am still here reminds me that my story is still being written.
I may not have achieved everything I want yet, but I am grateful that I still have the opportunity to pursue those things.
I am alive, and that alone is something worth being grateful for.
The second thing I am grateful for is good health.
Health is one of those blessings we often don't appreciate until something goes wrong.
When I am healthy, I can wake up, go about my activities, work, write, interact with people, worship, pursue my goals and enjoy the simple things around me.
These activities can seem ordinary until sickness makes them difficult.
I have come to understand that good health is not something I should treat as guaranteed. Every day that I am able to move around and carry out my responsibilities is a reason to say, "Thank You, God."
There are many things money can help us acquire, but there are also things money cannot simply replace. That is why I don't want to wait until I face a health challenge before appreciating the health I have today.
I am grateful for the strength to live, work and pursue my dreams.
Life is not always predictable. Sometimes I understand what is happening, and sometimes I don't.
There have been moments when I had questions without immediate answers. There have been situations where I had to keep moving even when I couldn't clearly see what the future would look like.
My faith in God gives me hope during those moments.
It reminds me that I don't have to have every answer before I move forward. It reminds me to trust God even when circumstances are not exactly what I expected.
My faith doesn't mean that I will never face difficulties. Rather, it gives me the assurance that difficulties are not the whole story.
When things are going well, my faith reminds me to remain grateful.
When things are difficult, my faith reminds me to keep trusting.
And when I don't know what tomorrow will bring, my faith gives me a reason to face tomorrow with hope.
When I look at these three things together, I realize that I already have reasons to be thankful.
I have life.
I have good health.
I have faith in God.
I may still have dreams that haven't become reality. There are goals I am still pursuing and things I hope to accomplish. But I don't want the things I am waiting for to make me blind to the things I already have.
Sometimes gratitude is simply stopping for a moment and saying:
"God, thank You for what I have today."
I don't know everything that tomorrow will bring, but I am grateful for today.
And for now, today is enough reason to be thankful.
