Taking Things for "Granite"
"Taking things for granted" is a phrase that seems to emerge relatively early in life. As a child, your parents may utter this phrase under the likely circumstance that you beg them for some toy or piece of candy that you wish to have in your possession. You come to learn, quite early on, that it is necessary to appreciate your own belongings or the resources that are available to you while you have access to them.
While I may have never started a "gratitude" journal, per se, I do aim to live in the moment, thankful for the opportunities I am given and have earned. When I recognize that I am not doing so, I try to take a step back, and this phrase makes its way to the forefront of my mind. It's kind of embarrassing, but until very recently, I would have sworn to you it went "taking things for granite." My boyfriend expressed to me recently that this was, indeed, not how the saying goes, however, and from now on, I'll strive to say it correctly.
I've actually been saying and thinking about this phrase quite frequently recently. I have basked in the glory of each day here in Europe, and I have been trying not to think about how our time here is short and fleeting. The experiences I will forever get to replay in the, to quote Rent, "3D IMAX of my mind," are constant and wonderful, making me pray for the opportunity to return someday.
Yet, at the same time, I recognize that the last twenty years I have spent in America, while I may have been grateful for the extraordinary and beautiful of the above average day, I clearly have been ignoring, in a sense, the simplistic quaintness of the ordinary. Never once have I longed for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich so desperately in my life. Not to mention beverages that come chilled, without question, by the absolute necessity of ice.
The list goes on. Water that comes free with the meal, cell service that allows me to call whoever I want whenever I want, my warm winter coat that my mother suggested I bring but I was so certain I wouldn't need. When I am hungry at an apparently inopportune time and all of the restaurants and grocery stores are closed, I realize that even being able to grab a bite after a long hard day from some constantly open, drive-up window is a blessing. Last, but certainly not least, again along the lines of much elusive ice, blended coffee is nowhere to be found.
I realize now how selfish and narrow-minded I have been in the past. My perception of the world I am living in has vastly broadened into a picturesque scene, where even the so-called day-to-day will now be lively and bright. I have seen things from a different point of view, in an entirely new light. The things that were once so mundane are now idealized. I am now grateful for things I always just expected to have.
Of course, this does go both ways. When I return from my semester abroad, I will likely recognize my daftness surrounding the things I am currently taking for granted. The constant comradery with those I am traveling with, hot chocolate so thick you would think it was just a melted chocolate bar, the ability to socially partake in the consumption of alcohol. It is so difficult to imagine these moments ever ending. I believe myself to be lucky, though. Realizing so soon that these moments are fleeting and there is so much to live for right now - what more could I ever ask for?
While I may have never started a "gratitude" journal, per se, I do aim to live in the moment, thankful for the opportunities I am given and have earned. When I recognize that I am not doing so, I try to take a step back, and this phrase makes its way to the forefront of my mind. It's kind of embarrassing, but until very recently, I would have sworn to you it went "taking things for granite." My boyfriend expressed to me recently that this was, indeed, not how the saying goes, however, and from now on, I'll strive to say it correctly.
I've actually been saying and thinking about this phrase quite frequently recently. I have basked in the glory of each day here in Europe, and I have been trying not to think about how our time here is short and fleeting. The experiences I will forever get to replay in the, to quote Rent, "3D IMAX of my mind," are constant and wonderful, making me pray for the opportunity to return someday.
Yet, at the same time, I recognize that the last twenty years I have spent in America, while I may have been grateful for the extraordinary and beautiful of the above average day, I clearly have been ignoring, in a sense, the simplistic quaintness of the ordinary. Never once have I longed for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich so desperately in my life. Not to mention beverages that come chilled, without question, by the absolute necessity of ice.
The list goes on. Water that comes free with the meal, cell service that allows me to call whoever I want whenever I want, my warm winter coat that my mother suggested I bring but I was so certain I wouldn't need. When I am hungry at an apparently inopportune time and all of the restaurants and grocery stores are closed, I realize that even being able to grab a bite after a long hard day from some constantly open, drive-up window is a blessing. Last, but certainly not least, again along the lines of much elusive ice, blended coffee is nowhere to be found.
I realize now how selfish and narrow-minded I have been in the past. My perception of the world I am living in has vastly broadened into a picturesque scene, where even the so-called day-to-day will now be lively and bright. I have seen things from a different point of view, in an entirely new light. The things that were once so mundane are now idealized. I am now grateful for things I always just expected to have.
Of course, this does go both ways. When I return from my semester abroad, I will likely recognize my daftness surrounding the things I am currently taking for granted. The constant comradery with those I am traveling with, hot chocolate so thick you would think it was just a melted chocolate bar, the ability to socially partake in the consumption of alcohol. It is so difficult to imagine these moments ever ending. I believe myself to be lucky, though. Realizing so soon that these moments are fleeting and there is so much to live for right now - what more could I ever ask for?
Comments
Post a Comment