Are You Thankful For Life Or Do You Take It For Granted?

Are you thankful for breathing? Have you ever inhaled like it could be your last breath and appreciated every millisecond?

There was so much about life that I used to take for granted including life itself until I was faced with a loss of life that reminded me of its fragility.

Recently, I've been listening to near-death experience testimonies, especially from people who've gone to Hell and come back. One man described the feeling of knowing he would never see his family again or be able to take a breath without experiencing excruciating suffering.

But it was his describing not being able to breathe again that stuck with me. It's something we automatically do without thinking but is vital to our existence. He took for granted that the next breath would come about but once it didn't, he appreciated its absence.

Whether you believe those testimonies or not, there is something about our sin of arrogance to presume that we deserve another breath, so much so that we aren't thankful until something or someone takes it away from us: I'm not immune to this arrogance.

The closest I've ever connected with appreciating life was in the presence of death. Whether it be a family member or friend who passed away, their funeral represented the limitation of life for me.

To be alive means that I could cry and feel a tear run down my cheek as I'm mourning their passing. As I'm staring down at their body in a casket, I still have another chance before I end up like them. Through immense sadness, I can still take that breath and right my wrongs.

I've watched people I cared about experience agony in old age before they died and I've lost high school friends who died young from a drug overdose and sickle cell anemia. Their deaths forced me to confront my arrogance and not make their passing go in vain.

So often we are chasing objects and money but those things don't matter once you take your last breath: You can't take possessions with you, but you can leave a positive impression in the hearts of others.

I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't take anything for granted and to be appreciative of all my experiences, including the objectively negative ones. Even though I've had my share of suffering, I'm still here and there is always something we can learn from suffering.

It might sound cliché, but I make a genuine effort to live each day as if it could be my last. I often think about the legacy I want to leave behind and if I'm doing everything I possibly can to positively impact the world around me: Simple gestures like a smile & wave of hello make a difference.

I'm not perfect but I have constant reminders of what my purpose is to keep me on track. I watch videos on near-death experiences because it is a reminder and appreciation of what I have before it is taken away from me.

Every morning I go for a walk outside taking several deep breaths and give thanks for another day to bask in God's gift to all of us. I pray that God will continually wipe away my daily arrogance of expectation of life and soften my heart to spread love to others in need.

This could be the last thing I ever write and there is beauty in this understanding. I may not be able to reach you tomorrow, so I must do it today.

To appreciate life is to appreciate being in the moment instead of expecting another one. So, take a breath and be grateful.