We take so many things for granted in life. Sometimes we don’t appreciate the value of what we have because it is easily available to us when we want it. It’s only when we lose something, do we realise its value.

Taking things for granted comes from a limited understanding of life. Nothing is permanent. Change is inevitable, and the very things we thought would always remain, can sometimes disappear very quickly.

We can easily become complacent, overconfident, and sometimes even uncaring, in the mistaken belief that we will always have the things we are taking for granted. If we are not careful, we will learn the hard way.

We take our health for granted. It is easy to get carried away with indulgence and indiscipline, only to lose the fitness and well-being we once had.

We take our prosperity for granted. In good times we spend lavishly and sometimes make our lifestyle unsustainable, paying a heavy price when circumstances change and we find our imaginary overflowing well of wealth drying up.

We take relationships for granted. Just because someone loves us and cares for us, doesn’t mean we don’t need to reciprocate. Relationships are like a plant. If we don’t water them regularly, they wither away.

We take experiences for granted. Our freedom and ability to do things can change overnight and we may well find ourselves confined and restricted.

We learn to value things and people when we don’t have them. But we don’t need to lose them to realise their value. The joy of life is in fully enjoying every big and small event, every relationship we carry, with gratitude, awareness and love.

Gratitude grounds us and we appreciate everything we get in our life. Awareness prepares us that nothing in life is permanent, and each moment is to be lived fully. Love nourishes everything in our life, making each experience and each relationship so fulfilling that even we lose something or someone, we don’t live with regret, because we know we have loved fully.

Life gives and takes. There will be many things we have today which will not remain forever. It is not a loss, it is the way of life. Our only loss will be to lose something very precious only because we took it for granted.

(Picture-City of Florence)