How to Get what You Want from Life by being Thankful

You don't know what you have until it is gone.
This saying has been passed around a lot but we still miss it. It doesn't only apply to people, in terms of relationships or deaths as a lot of us attribute it to, well I, it applies to every single thing in our lives.
I was lucky enough to experience this first hand twice in a month.
First with all of my puppies coming down with the deadly Parvo Virus, prior to which I had been frustrated by them almost everyday. When I found out my puppies were gravely ill and I could lose them, it felt like I had failed. Like I had failed them. Like I had failed their mother. My whole world came crashing down and for a moment the only thing that mattered was keeping my puppies alive.
I sat up nights in bed, googling and researching my brains out looking for a solution and I didn't stop until I finally got it.

Yes my pups are all doing fantastic now and I find that I appreciate them even more now than I did prior to their illness.
Now that is the first scenario. The second is the reason I began to write this post in the first place. My Laptop.
For a while I had this HP Laptop that was already beginning to practically beg me for a replacement. It was battered and worn. The top part of the Laptop had come off its hinges and so to use it I always had to prop the laptop against a wall or a pile of books for balance. Pretty much what I really had was a keyboard and a glass for the screen. You couldn't call this a laptop anymore. I could no longer even use it on my laps.
but I had to keep on using it. It was all I had and at the time I had no money for a replacement and tried desperately not to think of a replacement because the thought alone reminded me that I had no money for the new one I wanted.
and so I was managing the battered laptop, hoping that a miracle would manifest itself in time.
Then one morning, as I readied my desk to sit and begin my work for the day, which included a lot of video editing, blog posts, organizing and all of which had to do with using my laptop, the unexpected happened.
The screen part of the laptop completely lost balance with the wall I'd had it rested against and it came almost loose from the keyboard part. It was literally hanging by a thread. A wire. Just one wire. And then I checked to see a second wire completely come loose on the other end of the screen.
I was immediately devastated.
In an instant, I saw all the wonderful things this so called battered laptop could do for me but could not anymore cause, I believed, it was already never going to come on until I had the other wire attached. I imagined it was a connecting wire to the screen part without which Id be left with only a keyboard. No screen. Hence no way to get my work done.
And that really broke my heart. I thought of going to the repair shop, but I kid you not, at the time, I had no money whatsoever to handle that.
So I decided the only thing to do was to turn on the laptop and try to fix it myself. Whatever it was going to take me, find the right spot for the detached wire and glue it all back together. I contemplated this even though I knew I had no tools to make it work. But I wanted to try.
So I turned on the laptop, devastation and all and would you believe! IT CAME ON!
I could not believe my eyes. I immediately felt a flood of gratitude rush over me.
I found myself thanking the laptop, thanking God, thanking the air, thanking anything. I felt so much gratitude for this battered laptop and the fact that it was still working. I was so happy. I have never been that happy about the laptop before.

But in that moment, just knowing that I could do the work I had yet to do, I was all too thankful.

And that was when it hit me. This is how we should be all the time. We cannot wait for something to almost slip off our fingers before we know and see and appreciate what it does for us. This applies to people, partners, colleagues,friends, family, our houses, our cars, our equipment, our life, water, food, pets, just about everything.

Instead of complaining about what we could have that is better than what we have now, we can choose to nurture what we do already have, knowing that it serves a unique purpose without which we might be incomplete.
Some of us want new cars, forgetting to appreciate all the wonderful places our old cars can still take us.
Some of us want bigger houses, forgetting to appreciate the shelter, and comfort that our present so called small house affords us. Some of us want new jobs, forgetting that there are lots of people without jobs and nothing to do.
We all want something different from what we do have now. But my guess is we cannot get the next best if we do not treat what we have now with care and be truly thankful that we do have.
Look beyond whatever it is, and begin to notice and appreciate what it does for you now.

Yes you live in a small apartment, but isn't it just great, that you have a roof over your head?
Yes you sleep on the floor and do not have a mattress, but isn't it just so wonderful that you can get a good night's sleep and be alive to see today?
Yes you have an annoying boss and your salary is low, but what a blessing to get paid yes?
Yes you do not have a car and have to go by public transport, but aren't you just so lucky to commute everyday without harm?
Yes you do not have money to do the things you want or live the kind of life you desire, but look!What a Joy to be alive and be able to dream about these wonderful things yet to come.

In all things, be thankful. Look not at what you wish you had, but notice what you do have and be genuinely Thankful. This is the way Life brings you what you want. Make it a conscious, daily practice to be grateful. Gratitude moves all things to you, but your gratitude must be genuine. Go be thankful! There's lots to be grateful for. You are wonderful and you deserve all of the goodness of Life.

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