I was a fan of forwarded text quotes/jokes few years back. Everyday I would receive a number of text messages from officemates which I used to forward to my others friends and vice versa, but that was then. Now, I still receive quotes once in a while from two of my friends but I don’t forward them anymore…
Yesterday morning, while browsing some files on my computer after I watched the losing moments of Roger Federer, still disappointed and bitter, I happen to see a list of text quotes I got from the internet and compiled in a Word document years ago. It suddenly brought back some memories from the old days. :/
Then later on my way to the office, while on the bus, I was still thinking about the quotes and remembered one of them. It was about taking someone for granted…
Have you taken someone for granted?
Sometimes we forget to show our appreciation especially to the people that are mostly closest to us, physically or emotionally, because we think that it is already given and they already knew it. Say, your wife/mom/dad who cooks for your dinner, but complaining about the meal, “fried chicken nanaman?”, instead of saying thank you. Your brother/sister who sends you pasa-load right away when you run out of mobile phone credits… or your kasambahay who cleans you room and wakes you up every morning or a friend who sends you text message asking “musta na?” These are some of the simple things from them that we usually forget to appreciate.
I hated myself when I my father told me something about the meal that he has been preparing for me so that I have something to eat when I arrive at night and I did not even touch it or sometimes… I still cook for myself :(. I felt his disappointment when he said that to me. Then I realized how important appreciation is. So now, even if I am not that hungry (like when I already eat at 10pm and he prepared something for me on the table like pandesal/ulam), I make sure that I don’t take his effort for granted.
How often do you use the magic word “Thank You…”?
I think it is also a good start for me that I say the magic word “Thank you” to “other” people I meet everyday. To the tricycle drivers who take me to the bus stop, to the bus conductor who gives my bus ticket, or to the lobby guard who always opens the door for me even if it is part of their work, I always say thank you.
“Never take someone for granted.
Hold every person close to your heart
because you might wake up one day,
and realize that you’ve lost a diamond,
while you were too busy collecting stones.
Never take someone for granted.”
