Humans can be really difficult to understand sometimes. I know, its ironical that we can’t understand our own selves but that’s because human behavior is ridiculously complex and dynamic.
Add to it the fact that there are over seven and a half billion of us on the planet, with each of us possessing a different set of characteristics, nature, preferences, mentality and what not. Therefore, there’s no surprise that sometimes people just don’t make sense.
Still, it’s one of my favorite things to do. To observe people and to try and understand why they do what they do. Maybe in understanding others, I will be able to understand myself too.
Anyways, today I want to talk about one such trait that is shared by most people and I simply don’t understand it, even though I am guilty of it myself! What I am talking about is, our tendency of not valuing things we have and only valuing them if we either don’t have them or fear losing them.
So, let me give you an example. Let’s say you want a brand new laptop and have a particular model in mind that you really want to buy. The value of that laptop for you will be a lot, won’t it? Now, let’s say you are able to buy it one day.
Initially, you will be filled with joy and happiness but slowly, with time, the importance that you give to that laptop will decrease and you won’t even value it anymore. But, if someone threatens to take that laptop away from you, suddenly the very laptop will start to feel more valuable to you.
The same repeats in the case of people as well, but thankfully to a lesser degree than things. We always run after things or people that we don’t have in life and tend to take those for granted that are already there. It is only when we fear losing them, that we truly understand their importance.
I wonder why this is so. Clearly the things and people that we cherish are important to us, but why do we start taking them for granted? What changes?
As I was reflecting upon this idea, I came to the conclusion that our tendency to do so could be because we have endless desires as human beings. No matter how many things we accumulate, there will always be that one more thing that we just have to have.
Having desires is not a bad thing. Yes, it can be bad for your mental peace but desires can also keep you motivated to keep working hard because if you don’t, you just won’t be able to fulfill them. So, in that sense it is ok.
But we also can’t ignore the better way to live your life and that is to be grateful for the things (and people) you have. Gratitude gives you a sense of fulfillment and the realization that you have more than what most people will ever get, is really an eye-opener.
And as I have said many times before and also in my “law of attraction” post, gratitude itself is a way to have even more stuff because the things and people you are grateful for (genuinely), the more you get of them. The universe makes sure of that.
This is something that just came to my mind and I just wanted to share this with you guys. I don’t even know if I made much sense at all as I was just writing what came to the mind. Have you ever had such a realization too?
