Taking It For Granted

“It’s not a bad idea to occasionally spend a little time thinking about things you take for granted.  Plain everyday things.” – Evan Davis  

This post was triggered by the thought of how many times we take the people in our life for granted. Our parents, siblings, children and friends. Those people closest to us, who time and time again, sacrifice and do for us.  Sometime we take for granted the “unconditional.”  I think subconsciously, we believe these people will always be around to do for us, or that they are obligated by some unwritten rule.  I’ve witnessed this, and I started to wonder about the things I personally took to granted.

Though I’d like to think I’m very conscious about myself and my surroundings (as we all would like to think), the first thing I realized I took for granted was time. I’m sure many can relate. We spend so much time doing nothing. Nothing as in, no thing which enriches our time on this planet—mind deadening activities, spirit confusing actions, or things that physically weaken us. We think that there will always be time.  We think that we will always be in the position to make up what we didn’t do with the time we had.  I’m sure each person who took their precious time to read this post, knows someone who ran out of time in one way or another.  And then there’s that terrible feeling… regret.

I honestly believe we were all put on this Earth to get better—to grow.  With that said, I’m pretty sure we all know at least one person (or are that person), who not only take people for granted, but they take their talents/gifts/blessings for granted.  How many of us invest in ourselves and those truest to us, at an above par level?  When things are fresh and new, we put our all into it.  But what happens down the line?

What is it that you truly treasure?  When you have time, take some time to write down all of the things that you consider good in your life, whether tangible or intangible.  Be it a relationship (platonic, romantic, familial etc.), something intrinsic, or materialistic.  Then, write down next to these things, how much you invest into it.  How many times do you acknowledge it on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?  If after you’ve finished your list, you think you take any of it for granted, make a change, or get ready for regret.