Taken For Granted

This week I have had a series of instances that Life has given me the gift of becoming aware.  More than once, it was brought to my attention that I was taking areas of my life for granted. Once I realized my complacency or arrogance, I began to meditate and pray for balance and correction of my attitudes.

When I purposefully choose my outlook and attitude? I select gratitude, optimism, love, charity, patience and joy. I choose to serve God in all that I do from my job, to my relationships, to my thinking, to personal down time.  It is my own personal way to be passionate and fully involved in everything that I endeavor, giving 110% of myself. 

To see of myself that I was taking anything for granted, was a reminder and a friction in my spirit. I’ve spent some time examining myself, invited God to search me, sought outside counsel and I am encouraged to be gentle with myself and my process.  After a time of reckoning and decisions, I am going forward with grace and humble intention to be my true self.

If I have offended anyone or treated you with less than my best attention? I am sorry.  I am desiring to improve. If I have abused anyone by overextending my time with them? I am sorry.  If I neglected to nurture the utmost in my relationships? Please forgive me.

I do not take you for granted.

I am grateful for you.

And I am blessed to be aware going forward.

My daughter today told me something in context that made my heart swell with motherly pride, and chastened me at the same time. Discussing a $36 monthly bill, she brought up the effort at a job that it takes to earn that amount.  X hours. X miles. X service. 

Her profound words created a Listening Place in me. Using me as an example, she said, “Once you have driven those miles in those hours of a day to earn specific money? You can not ever get that time of your life back. Use the income wisely.”

A confirmation from the mouths of babes, do not take one bit of life for granted. Not the ability to earn, not the time it takes, not the bill you owe, not the people you encounter….. enjoy it all. LIVE in this Present Moment and reap all it has for you. Give with all you have within you. And I add, thank God for the gift of time and other resources.

Taking back my priorities,

Jan M. Olsen

~J~