Taking All for Granted but Always Praying for More

Social media is a great tool to express our emotions, feelings, point of views and so forth. It allows us to share with the rest of the world how we are feeling at that very moment. While some people may think this is the beginning of a decline in civilization and intimacy, I believe that there are some great attributes to this form of communication. I signed onto my Facebook with the intention of procrastinating a bit before writing my paper when I stumbled upon my friend Katherine’s wall.

She had posted a status stating the following: “the things you take for granted, someone is praying for.” Well, that 10 word statement got me thinking. I started thinking about the truth that message conveyed through its words.  In a rapid paced society, we tend to become so desensitized about the good things that come into our lives. Whether it’s our friendships, relationships, jobs, health or possessions, we forget the value behind what we call ours.  We take things for granted. Sometimes we do this unintentionally. We forget to appreciate the good and focus on the bad. For instance, friendship is a value we deeply cherish, yet we forget to be grateful and thankful for the good people that enter our lives. We forget their unconditional generosity, kindness and loyalty. This inevitably leads us to take those friends for granted, whether we do consciously or subconsciously. We all do it and we blame human nature for it. But that is just an excuse. Blaming “human nature” for taking things for granted is just another reason to be lazy. If we make it a habit to be thankful and grateful for what we have, it becomes an embedded habit. You make it a custom to your being. It makes you live a more fruitful and appreciative life.  

The second part of this statement really makes you think about your own selfish ways. Someone out there is always praying for something you have in your life. Whether it is a good friend, a good grade in school or a meal on the table, someone out there wishes they were in your shoes. And this also goes for the person who lives in abundance. We are constantly consciously or subconsciously praying for something. We create these inner voids that need to be fulfilled in order to feel that our self-worth can constantly improve.

Now this may be overly optimistic and idealist for the pessimists and realists out there, but our emotions and actions can always be controlled. We do not have the ability to control how people will act or what circumstances may head our way, but we can control how we react to them. It’s being conscious within your subconscious state. It is about being aware. While this may sound like a lot of effort, the benefits of living this way are abundant. Being mindful makes you appreciate the moment on a bigger high because you can take into account your surroundings and yourself within a specific context.

I can’t tell you why Katherine posted this message as her status but I can say that it did trigger an internal reflection within me. Social media allowed me to explore a question vital to our existence and for that I thank it for its uncanny ways of exposing human lives.