Too many people and things in our lives are taken for granted. As we grow older and put the pieces of our lives together, we sometimes tend to overlook the underlying importance of certain things and certain people in our lives who have contributed in shaping us into the person we are now.
In life I have learnt a lesson that you cannot always get what you want at all times but when we do, we find it hard appreciating them. “Appreciation is very good; It makes what is excellent in others belong to you as well,” (Voltaire). But when we get to the stage where we realize that life is not what we imagined it will be or how we want it to be, we get so caught up in the negative situations that we find ourselves not appreciating the more positive aspect of our lives.
No matter our exact situation in life, we all face disappointment and pitfalls at some point. Yet, if we do not make a conscious effort to appreciate what we have, it is often all too easy to focus on what we do not have and that can turn into a sense of self- complacency rather than a feeling of self- empowerment.
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation,” (Brian Tracy). There is always something or someone to show appreciation to. We have our families to appreciate; we have strangers who help us in one way or the other to appreciate. It is not only good but important to appreciate the little or most things that we have achieved or gotten in life.
Showing gratitude is another way to appreciate what you have. If you are truly thankful for what you have, it helps you to appreciate it more. No matter how difficult a day is, for example, we can be grateful that we are here to have that day. If everything seems to be going wrong, but we are basically healthy, we can be grateful for our health. “Be thankful for what you have; you will end up having more. If you concentrate on what you do not have, you will never, ever have enough,” (Oprah Winfrey).
Even when we are sick, we can still appreciate the little things. Many people do not take their time to appreciate the beauty of nature, for example; Taking time to walk in our neighborhood can not only help us appreciate things about it that we may have never noticed before, but the walk can also give us some needed exercise and some fresh air as well. We may be far from having everything we want in life, but by appreciating what we have now, we can be happier while working on achieving the rest of our dreams.
No matter what anyone says, it is a fact that we are molded into our present selves because of our parent. It is always a good idea to show some gratitude to ones parents from time to time, and remind them that they have done a good job raising us. After a while, friends take over in our lives and they also play a huge role in keeping one entertained, giving great advice and sometimes getting us in trouble.
Humans, by nature, are social beings and nothing pleases or attaches to us more than some simple gratitude shown by people around us or people we do not know. According to Dalai Lama, “the root of all goodness lies in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” Here are some common lines that you can use as inspiration.

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Thank you for providing for me throughout the years and for giving me your unconditional love and support.
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Your support has made me a strong and driven individual and i will forever be grateful and indebted to you.
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I will never forget your influence on my life; I will always remember the good times we had together.
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Overs the years we have had plenty ups and downs, good and bad times, and I will always be glad that I had you around in my life.

According to Frederick Koenig, “We tend to forget that happiness does not come as a result of getting something we do not have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” Appreciating the little things that we have and what people did for us, will keep them close to us always, and having people who care and love us will certainly keep a smile on our face and or make us happy to get through our worst days.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them,” (John f. Kennedy).

Realizing the importance of simple thanks for the people around us represents an important stage of development in our lives. We do not expect children to be grateful for each and every important thing, but as growing teens and adults, we surely can tell the importance of it. It is time to finally grow up and become a better human being.