In Less Than 10 Minutes, I Was Given a Quick Lesson on Being Grateful.
Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals
I know how to rant. That’s one way I deal with shit. The alternatives are writing, meditation, prayer, and binging on South Korean dramas. One Friday after work, I had a rant session with my buddy. The next morning, I had another session with my sister.
What were most of the rants about? I wasn’t happy with my paycheck, and I had been pretty unhappy for a long time. To those who listened often, perhaps I sounded like a broken record. Hubby had hinted that I needed to take action.
After ranting to my sister at 3 am on a Saturday morning, I went back to bed resolute that I would change the narrative. I woke up a few hours later and went for my first appointment. I needed to see a dermatologist.
After seeing the dermatologist, I headed to a meditation center. It was time to deal with things differently. One hour later, as I left the center, a gentleman approached me. He had kind eyes.
It was small talk at first. Things got interesting afterward. My rant had begun. After I finished speaking, he smiled and said to me; “you are fortunate. At least, you have a paycheck. Some people do not and have no means to generate one. You have your senses intact. Some people have lost theirs. I bet there are people who wish they had access to some of your opportunities.”
As he said that, my mind flashed back to the car crash I’d been involved in 2 weeks ago. I’d escaped with minimal injuries. By the next workday, I was at work. My colleague who was driving had a different story to tell. She sustained multiple injuries and was currently off work.
As I walked home, there was a new bounce in my step. I had a new focus. My attitude was going to change. At least, for the rest of the weekend, my rants would seize and no one would get an earful anymore.
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more?” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
