Appreciate You

Everything fate brings us is for a reason, but the truth is, we may never know what that reason is.

Life throws both good and bad at us, and we don't have much choice but to go with the flow and hope there is a purpose to it all. Chaos was once thought to be how everything in the universe interacts and finds its way...this theory is long dead, even the scientists say it is so. Random doesn't exist...everything happens because it is meant to happen...which is huge if true and the implications are about as far-reaching as the human mind can fathom.

In the first world, we are fortunate to have things like clean water to drink and the freedom to choose governments democratically...things most of us at some point in our lives take for granted or don't realize what it would be like without them.

Take your next breath...and appreciate how lucky you are to be doing that. Go to the faucet and drink, no big deal right? We should all in the west have more appreciation that we drink uncontaminated water, and give that water to our children. Imagine walking for hours to get water, then giving it to your child, knowing that it is contaminated and could make them sick...knowing the only alternative is they die of thirst.

We spend so much time thinking about what we don't have, instead of appreciating what we do. That's not to say we shouldn't feel low when someone we care about and love wrongs us...or tragedy strikes. We are human, and it is important we feel pain and sorrow in order so we can feel joy and happiness. It is the contrast that brings us appreciation.

Romantic love comes...and it goes. But there is one love that will never leave us, yet it is the least accepted, and that is the love we feel for ourselves. How can we love another, if we cannot even love ourselves? People often mistake what they feel as being love, yet, it could be lust or infatuation or possibly even co-dependence. No matter what happens with romantic love, we always have love in our lives. It is in our heart and in our soul, and so we should never have to look elsewhere for it.

When we search for love it creates expectation, and with expectation often comes disappointment. But when we learn to love ourselves, love who we truly are, we can never be disappointed. Be proud of who you are, and love everything about you that is good. Recognize the positives about yourself, and acknowledge any negatives, all coming together to form who you are.

It's a balancing act...good or bad...right or wrong...left or right. It all means something. I have no idea what, and I am OK with that. Life is a miracle...how you and I and this planet on which we live came to be is a miracle. Enjoy and experience as much as you can, while you can, because the reality is...nothing lasts forever.