Be Appreciative; Show Appreciation

In the United States of America, we often take what we have for granted. We lack appreciation for the freedom and blessings we enjoy. Let’s take a look at what we have to appreciate, and be appreciative for.

Let’s start with the basics. If you have a roof over your head and that convenience provides shelter from the elements, you are fortunate. Consider how many inhabitants of our planet sleep in squalid conditions, exposed to the elements or subjected to violence and civil unrest.

If you have air conditioning to keep you cool, there are millions of people who lack that luxury. Be thankful! In America, most of us also have refrigerators to keep our food preserved while others lack that convenience. Consider how much food we waste and discard to pile up in landfills.

If you have a comfortable bed to sleep in, show your appreciation by giving thanks for what you have. How many stories do you hear about families sharing a bed or people sleeping on park benches, under overpasses, or in the subway? How comfortable can concrete be?

We think that having electricity and running water are basic to living in America. You turn on the light without thinking and expect the power to be there. Be appreciative for what our nation’s infrastructure provides; there are millions of humans without that convenience.

It’s the same with water. You go to the faucet, turn it on, and expect there to be clean water for cooking or drinking. Be appreciative of the fact that the lion’s share of the world’s population lacks clean drinking water or the ability to shower or bathe whenever they feel like it. We let the water run and think nothing of it.

Give thanks to God. Be mindful of wasting the resources you take for granted. If possible, do something to help those who lack what you have, even if it means sacrifice on your part.