Your Voice: Life is a gift; don’t take it for granted

A gift doesn’t necessarily need to be something sensory; you can be gifted by having a “life.” While we are living this life, we forget how priceless it is, and we don’t appreciate it enough. We get ourselves stuck in responsibilities, overthinking the small stuff and drowning in the daily work, completely ignoring how amazing our life is.

As with so many things, I learned this lesson through a period of stress. I have two full-time jobs and one of them is unpaid. In addition to my daytime job, I am a 24/7 dedicated mommy to two beautiful tiny creatures who can occasionally bring out the worst in me. It can be quite exhausting. When you are responsible for the health and safety of a young child, you can forget what it feels like to be an individual, to provide for your own needs, to have a good night’s sleep, and even to have the luxury of a long hot shower. 

Don’t get me wrong! I love being a mommy. But, I recently began to notice that I was becoming detached from my own self. I was sinking deep into my kids’ needs and responsibilities, and forgetting how important “me” is to me. 

You don’t have to have kids to feel what I am feeling. Each of us has had the experience of neglecting ourselves to look after others’ needs. We forget the valuable lesson: Waking up every morning with a healthy body, an active brain, and strong motivation is a gift! 

Eating your French toast and drinking a mug of your favorite black coffee, responding to your BFF’s WhatsApp messages, and taking a quick silly selfie to remind people you’re still alive, all of these things are reminders to ourselves that we are important.

Think of how much the small details can make you happy. Laughing at the small sarcastic things that no one else finds funny. Making a silly decision that surprisingly brings you joy. Having a family that loves you the most; “unconditional love,” as we call it. Having a roof over our heads, however small and old, but it feels cozy like thousands of lamb’s wool threads holding you tight. Seeing a smile on your favorite person’s face. Feeling the touch of someone who deeply cares for you. 

Don’t stand and watch your life running like a river. Just like a river, you can’t tell your life to “STOP!” and “take me back to the precious moments I neglected.”

Each of us probably spends time on the computer, making sure bills are paid. But we often neglect the spiritual bills, our time of self-care and the care of loved ones, time that all too often passes us by with no return. Remember: No matter how hard it gets, you need to treat yourself with love to provide time, emotions, and energy to those around you.

“Live your life to the fullest,” they say. If you do this, you will be standing up and facing your fears, being brave. Open your mind to what you need, list your priorities, and act on that list. Your life isn’t a waiting room at a bus station. You deserve to breathe another day and watch the sun rise tomorrow.