The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness. – Dalai Lama
It’s in this state that I’m learning the full value of appreciation. I think that the state of appreciation in itself lacks appreciation on a broad scale. When was the last time you sat back and simply appreciated the food you were about to consume? Not just the fact that you get to feed yourself, but the fact that you have the fortune to consume a delicious concoction of nutrients placed in front of you; the fact that nourishing your body is a luxury that not everyone has. When was the last time you sat back and were thankful for doing something you love? You may feel this doesn’t apply to everyone, yet on some level it applies to for us all.
When was the last time you sat back and told the person who means everything to you, just that? Don’t take them for granted and certainly don’t assume they know how you feel. It’s in this state that we learn the full value of appreciation. Yes our time, comets and life are never permanent yet our attitudes towards them can be lasting. When we aim to make the most of our moments and accept them with grace and appreciation, we turn the corner from just counting down days and minutes to living out this time with a greater mindset and values. After all who else will get to live these moments like you?
Now we’ve arrived at the lesson I want to impart upon you. There is a cure for this impinging state of mind, a cure that applies to any situation in which you’re feeling down, discontent, or yearning to delay the future. The cure is, perhaps obvious by now, appreciation.
Appreciation for all you have experienced.
Appreciation for the lessons learned.
Appreciation for the present moment.
Appreciation for the new friends made.
Appreciation for what’s to come.
It’s in this state that we learn the full value of appreciation. Go forth, my friends. The world is at your fingertips. Do all you can, see all you can bear, touch all that appeals to you, embrace all you can manage, and absorb life as it passes through your days and being. When all is said and done, don’t forget to appreciate the experience.
To so enter into the nature and art of life as a understanding disciple requires us to do nothing more than recognize the power and beauty of appreciation.
Peace and Love, Jim
