Category: Gratitude

How To Take Nothing For Granted

What do you take for granted?

Gratitude has been a theme that I’ve posted about here before, and I’ve thought recently about things that I should be grateful for, but sometimes take for granted.

One thing I’ve normally taken for granted, because its always been good, is my wife’s overall health and well being. This changed recently when she had a visit to our local ER with some tightness in her chest, and shortness of breath that we originally attributed to pine pollen.

There’s a history of heart disease in her family, and on our doctor’s suggestion, we decided to be safe rather than sorry, and go to the hospital. Even if pine pollen was the possible culprit.

Although she looked great in a hospital gown (she could look good in a paper bag), the both of us would have rather not been there. Aside from the events of having our kids, my wife does not go to hospitals, or doctors’ offices.

While waiting for test results, I was hoping for the best, but there was cause for concern. It is a subject I’ve never thought about much: I’ve always taken for granted that my wife would always be healthy, and be around to take care of us.

I’ve always looked after my own health. Fighting with elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol, it’s part of my game. My wife didn’t need to be concerned about such things, or so it seemed.

Thankfully, all of the tests (we’re talking blood, CT scan, EKG, etc.) came back with good results, and this was a scare we no longer had to worry about. I’m very grateful for the test results that portrayed her as an almost perfect physical specimen, and promised myself I’d always show gratitude for her health as long as she has it.

Something else happened here. I realized there are many other times that we all take most things for granted. It seems as we get older, we have to come to terms with that sometimes the most important facets of our life are the ones we assume will be a constant.

I thought about little things that I’ve taken for granted, that I can no longer experience. Like the hundreds of times my grandmother made me coffee, and poured it at her kitchen table. And sliced a piece of cake to go along with it.

That was a normal part of life for me, always there. So it got taken for granted. You can reflect on the past, but that experience is now gone. And with that realization, you should be more aware of what goes on now.

I make the coffee now, or my wife makes it. We do it the same way my Nonna did, brewing it with the espresso pot on top of the stove (it’s the best way to make coffee!), and it still tastes great. It’s just different.

A few weeks ago, I was walking through my dining room, and accidentally kicked my son’s baseball cleats that were left by the table. Ordinarily, I would have only noticed it in passing, but I stopped to look at them, and to think.

I thought, those shoes will only be there briefly. Someday, they will be gone, replaced by bigger shoes. And then, when my kids are grown and out of the house, they won’t be there at all. There will be just an empty space on that floor.

I took in that moment, without it being taken for granted. And I was happy to have it.

The little things in life are truly amazing, when you take the time to consider.

I feel like a cup of coffee. Right now.

Holiday Weekend Edition

To most of us, Independence Day is just a reason to celebrate the coming of summer, with the beautiful weather and fun activities that it brings. I, myself, will be having a great time with some out of town relatives as well as my own family, boating on a gorgeous lake, and watching fireworks displays with my wife and kids on the water.

I love the enjoyment part of it, as well as the majesty of all the American flags that are displayed on house fronts, lawns, and neighborhood streets. It’s hard not to feel patriotic with the images of the pride of America so prevalent.

The 4th of July has always been a big deal with my family. My parents, in the past, threw some fantastic parties to celebrate. We never celebrated our country’s independence, but did celebrate family and our friendships that were formed over the years. Our nation’s birthday was the opportune time to do so.

This date was also the moment when my grandparents’ love for the New York Yankees was cemented, watching pitcher Dave Righetti pitch a thrilling no-hitter to the archrival Boston Red Sox on Independence Day of 1983. From that day forward, they were ardent Yankee fans, always following the team’s games on TV and radio.

I think my grandparents, as well as the rest of the old school members of my family, appreciated the 4th of July more than anyone. Yes, they loved having a hot dog and a beer, and socializing at a picnic or a party. But for them, it was something more. They realized the magnitude of the holiday, and how lucky there were to be here in America.

They kept in perspective the struggles they faced when they first came here, but they also saw their opportunities that living in the USA afforded them. And they took full advantage. My grandmother’s family got off the boat here speaking little English, almost certainly destined for a life of consistent hardship. They ended up owning and operating not one, but two, successful restaurants.

Happy Birthday America, and thank you for the good fortune and unlimited opportunity you give. To all of us!

35 Tips To Make It All Better

I’m not much for forwarded emails. But every once in a while, I’ll get a great quote of the day via email.

One I got recently was much more than a quote. It was a nicely done list that got me thinking about the aspects of my life that could use just a little work.

I’m not much for lists either. There are enough people with blogs doing list posts.

I post this not just to share, but to have a reference and a reminder for myself, to do the things I should do to improve my life, as it gets complicated. We all tend to forget some of the little details.

The little details are what create a bigger life than you can imagine. They are the “blocking and tackling” of our years, the very fundamentals we should always pay attention to. I’m no football coach, or life coach either. But, if I were, the list below could qualify to be included in a great halftime speech.

I’m not sure who the original author is, so I can’t give credit as of yet. I have changed and modified some of these “tips” so they would sound like they’re coming from me:

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
  • Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
  • Make time to pray.
  • Play more games.
  • Read more books than you did in 2009.
  • Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
  • Sleep for 7 hours. At least!
  • Exercise daily. If all you can do is walk, then do it.
  • Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
  • Don’t have negative thoughts about things you cannot control. 
  • Don’t over do. Everything in moderation.
  • Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
  • Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
  • Dream more while you are awake.
  • Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
  • Forget issues and mistakes of the past. They have no bearing on your future.
  • Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
  • Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
  • No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
  • Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum. They appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
  • Smile and laugh more.
  • Call your family often.
  • Each day, give something good to others.
  • Forgive everyone for everything.
  • Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
  • What other people think of you is none of your business.
  • Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
  • Do the right thing!
  • Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
  • Know that God heals everything.
  • However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
  • No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
  • The best is yet to come.  Sinatra said so.
  • When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.

And, as a bonus point, something my grandmother always said:

Gratitude and Thanks

This is the time of year where its proper and stylish to be grateful at one moment or another for all of the good things in our life. We see it all over the media how individuals with their own stories to tell have added their take on the importance of gratitude, and the affect that it has on their lives. I especially love the news features where the focus of the story overcomes an illness against all odds, or others where people take it upon themselves to take the idea of charity in their lives to an entirely new level. It’s a great change of pace from what is the norm of negative news reporting.

To that I say, wonderful. But, what about the rest of the year? Can any other part of the calendar year have a vested interest in the concept of gratitude? Why are we just saving it for that special period between the end of November and the beginning of January?

I think your life takes on immediate improvement the moment you show gratitude, or think gratitude, all the time. Not just one month a year.

If you are healthy, you should show gratitude.

If you have family that loves you, you should be grateful.

Right now, if you have a job or own a business that supplies you with money because you work hard at it, you should, without question, be grateful.

And this is the right way to think throughout the entire year. Not just now. How about trying to think that way for the rest of your entire life? With very few exceptions, we all have many things to be grateful for within the span of our time here on earth. And those events/times from the past that I thought were just pretty good? They were very special…and I have gratitude that I was able to live them.

The things that were not so good? Eventually, they just become shadows. I give thanks for that also.

Yesterday, for the Thanksgiving holiday,  I had a great time with my family. We  talked, laughed, had too much fun, and ate like kings and queens. Before we ate , we gave thanks for everything in our lives that we have appreciation for. As we prayed, I once again considered how lucky I am to have everything that I do.

I realize that once a year gratitude is not enough. Can never be enough. To live the life that you want, you have to be consistent and count the many blessings, on a daily basis. Especially those times when you’re feeling a little grumpy, and being grateful is the last thing you want to be.

That’s the essence of life. The people, places and things that make you happy, and having awareness of them, all the time. Happy Thanksgiving!