“It’s amazing to see the beauty of the world. It’s so beautiful and so brutal. It’s a reminder that every second of life is precious.” – Sally Green.

Modern living is so busy that it is so easy to take our life for granted.

All too easily we can fail to fully appreciate our good health, the people in our life, all that we have and the opportunities available to us. There have been a couple of things in the past week that have had a significant impact on me and made me stop and think.

Firstly, I saw a sign that said the following:

  • I woke up
  • I have clothes to wear
  • I have running water
  • I have food to eat
  • Life is good
  • I am thankful

A few simple words but a strong powerful message and reminder to me to count my blessings and be grateful for many things.

I then read a news story about a BBC newsreader called Rachael Bland, aged 40. The article said that Mrs Bland had revealed a few days earlier that she had just a few days to live after a two year battle against breast cancer. She had been told in April that it was incurable.

It moved me when I read that Rachael was spending her final days wrapping 18 years of birthday presents for her son. She put together a collection of keepsakes to help her son Freddie, aged three, remember her after she’s gone. She put aside notebooks, perfume and personal items so Freddie won’t forget what his mother smelled and sounded like.

I found Rachael’s love, courage, thoughtfulness and kindness in such sad and cruel circumstances to be so inspiring and a lesson about what really matters in life. The real wealth in life is good health.

I felt very sad when I heard a few hours later that Rachael had died and it made me think about the importance of being glad of life. I have shared below a piece of writing that I came across many years ago on this theme.

Be Glad of life.

“Because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your possessions; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness, to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your neighbour’s except their kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends and to spend as much time as you can, with body and with spirit.

These are little guideposts on the footpath to peace.” Henry Van Dyke.

Life is precious and every day is a gift. We may experience hardship and challenges from time to time. Notwithstanding this, there is always something to be grateful for and a blessing to be found if we look hard enough.

Life is short and this is sufficient motivation for us to be happy, positive and kind. It’s also a good reason to ensure we don’t waste too much time or energy engaged in negativity, anger, conflict, sadness, frustration or disappointment.

This week reflect and ask yourself:

Where do I need to show greater appreciation for anyone or anything in my life?

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