Have you ever just taken a moment to think of all the good in your life?  There are so many things to be thankful for, regardless of all the things that are wrong.  Goodness is like that. And within all of those good things, far too many of them are taken for granted.  This is a mistake, because all that we have is a gift. And we should be grateful.

But we, as people, being flawed human beings, ascribe to many of the negative messages we hear daily.  So much of advertising is about what we don’t have. It is such a pervasive influence that it can alter our focus enough to have the effect of diminishing gratitude for what we do have.

Perhaps the most important gift that we have in most of the United States, is unlimited access to clean water.  We cannot live without it. And the ways we utilize it are numerous. It is so readily available, that we continuously waste it.  We know that this abundance is not true for many parts of the world. But, because it is always accessible to us, we take it for granted. It is so easy to do this when we do have so much.

If we have a job, there is a means for getting our needs met most of the time.  Those who are not as fortunate do not take things for granted. And they usually appreciate what they do have. The more spoiled we are, having everything we need, yet still wanting more, we tend not to think about those with few resources.  But that is a mistake, because situations can change in an instant. Life does not come with guarantees. Just because we may have things now, does not mean that this will always be so.

When we do not feel gratitude for the good things in our lives, we are wasting an opportunity to be truly happy. This is because happiness is a byproduct of gratitude.

If we have water and food, clothes on our backs, and a place to live, we are more fortunate than 75% of the world’s population according to many of the statistics I have read over the years. There are people in dire situations due to poverty, war and mental illness.  And the list goes on and on.

The longer I live, I find that the less I need and want.  This is a luxury as well, because I can choose to live as I wish, with or without the extra stuff in my life.  I have so much. And I think when one has much, there is a moral responsibility to do what we can for others. It is a privilege to be in such a position.

However one chooses to live his or her life, we should all try to appreciate what we have and not take things for granted.  This is perhaps one of life’s most important goals. Being thankful and sharing what we have makes our time here worthwhile.  And I believe that there is grace given to those who do.