A Loser's Thoughts on Life

Taking Things for Granted

Sometimes we don't appreciate things until they are gone.

For example, I woke up last Monday unable to hear out of my left ear. And let me tell you, I never thought to be thankful for my hearing before. It was just something I had and I never thought it would be taken away. Well, let me tell you (again), I will never take my hearing for granted again. It's been over a week now and I still can't hear properly and there's just this dull ringing in my ear. (Don't worry, I've been to the doctor. It's just a bad ear infection. I'm on strong antibiotics and ear drops and it should be better in another five days or so.)

But the point is, I never thought about going deaf. I never woke up in the morning thinking: Hey, thanks God! I can still hear.

No, it was just something I took for granted. And I think it's so sad that we all overlook these sort of things when they are really something so special. Like, I can hear, see, speak, walk, run, dance (badly). What else could I need?

Trust me, I know people who could list off a whole bunch of things they needed in addition to these basic things. An iPhone 6, an A on a test, a car...

Well, I'll tell you right now that all of those things wouldn't be very useful to you if you couldn't see them.

It extends further than these things though. I turn on the tap, I expect water to come out. Meanwhile, in third world countries, they are walking miles to wells that don't even hold clean water. And here I am, sitting on my butt in my kitchen turning on a tap.

Do I ever think to be greatful for the glass of water I am drinking? No, of course not. It's just water.

I don't expect people to suddenly start kneeling down and praising God every time they drink a sip of water from a water fountain. I guess just next time you are about to complain about not having something, try and think about all the little things you do have that we often overlook.

The fact that you are able to read this is a small miracle, don't you think? What if this was the last word that you were ever able to read?

What if the song you are listening to through your earbuds right now was the last thing you ever heard?

Wouldn't you wish you had appreciated what you had more before you lost it? Wish that you had read more books, listened to more songs, been overall more thankful for what you had?

I don't know, just something I was thinking about as I continually asked people 'What? What??? What did you say?" during the worst of my deaf days.

I had to resort to reading lips, and let me tell you after you've been staring at people's lips the entire time they talked to you they start to get the wrong idea.

But the good news is my hearing is coming back! It's actually a lot better today. So I am very happy.

Note: I pre-write these rants now so this is from like 2 or 3 weeks ago. My hearing is almost completely back to normal now, although I think I have one more doctor's appointment. Then I'm free!

Love you!!!!!

xoxo Emmalynn