The joy of simple things

EVERY night, I take a shower. It relaxes me and it gets rid of the dirt and grime that I’ve amassed throughout the day. It also gives me time to think about what has transpired during the day and reflect on what lessons and realizations I learned in the past twenty-four hours. You can say that it is one of those packet “me” time where I am able to assess how good my day has been and what progress I have managed in trying to make my life better and happier.

It is amazing how much I can achieve in the fifteen to twenty minutes (sometimes more) that I spend in the shower. Just as the water comes sprinkling down from the shower head, my so-called assessment for the day begins. I do a fast rewind back to the moment I wake up, do my stretching exercises and muster enough conviction that indeed, it is time to get up. As I do my leg lifts, my ankle twirls and some muscle stretching, I can tell whether my day is going to be good or better! I am forever plagued by joint pains and muscle spasms so when I wake up and realize that I don’t have much of the pain then I know I will be better. Otherwise, it will still be a good day! I’ve had worse days than what I have now and so, I am thankful for that.

Getting up in the morning has never been easier than it is now. I don’t need anyone to pull me upright anymore. And it doesn’t hurt to turn side to side at all, too! I can even read a book while I’m lying on my tummy! This is one favorite thing that I have never been able to do until recently!

As I walk towards the kitchen to have breakfast, I am greeted by the morning faces of my family. The people who push me up when I’m down, encourage me and love me unconditionally. Without them, things will be pretty bleak and so I am glad that they’re there to push me further than I think I could only manage. Their words can sometimes be harsh and unforgiving, but it does jolt me and makes me try and strive for more. Which reminds me of the fact that I am actually WALKING now. Great!

Gone are the three months that I had to eat alone in the bedroom because walking out to have meals with the family proved to be too taxing. There was even a time when I had to use a motorized wheelchair to get anywhere. Or a walker. Or a cane. Yep. That bad! And I had sitting stations in my room because I had to take short resting stops just to get to the bathroom! Now I am okay and I am thankful for that too!

Guess what? I can see my toes again! Actually, I can see my feet! I realize this and smile whenever it is about that time when I need to lather my legs in the shower! This may seem funny to most of you but I have not been able to experience this for a long time! It is so much easier to do now and I am so happy!

When it is time to get ready for bed, I would sit on the bed and do my bedtime stretches. And I can do that now without holding my breath and cutting the oxygen supply to my brain! I have thought about this a thousand times and realize that I have missed being able to do this! Now that I can, I can only be glad that I am able to do so again!

These simple, mundane things may not mean that much to you but it does mean so much to me now. Having been unable to do these things in the past has put me in the position to appreciate each little thing that I consider as a blessing in my life. It is true that you never realize how much of a good thing is something until it is taken away from you. You realize its value even more when you get it back. And when you are given the opportunity to experience these simple things all over again, you learn to appreciate life in its simplicity and find joy in the simplest, seemingly unimportant things that surround you.

I am sure that you have had a similar experience once in your life.
These may have been something that you have been taking for granted simply because you know that it will always be there, no matter what. But then again, unexpected things can happen and you ended up losing it and you wonder how you are going to manage being without it from now on. You fight the good fight and go on, move on. But still you think about what you have lost and you realize its real value.

When you manage to get it back, cherish it and take good care that you never lose it again. By then you will have learned the lesson to never take things for granted and to always appreciate the things that you have no matter how simple it may be. Be thankful that you have been given another chance to live your life the way things used to be. Be thankful of the opportunities and blessings that has been showered upon you and take advantage of it and use it to become a better person because the chance may never come by again.

If by luck, you have yet to experience losing anything in your life, look around and see how lucky you are! Appreciate what you have and be truly thankful! Take good care of your good fortune and try to pay it forward and do what you can for other people so that you can be a blessing to others as you have been blessed with a wonderful life and experiences meant to be shared and to inspire the people around you!

Have a Happy Sunday everyone!