I went out one beautiful day this summer, after all the rain we've had and more coming, I smelled something unexpected in the city. It smelled like an ocean breeze with lush plants, flowers and fresh air. All I wanted to do was just inhale it all and be outside for the remainder of the day. My daughter noticed it when I told her. My mom didn't understand what I was talking about. We don't live anywhere close to an ocean, the wind was coming from the south in the middle of the prairies, but we had so much rain lately and so much greenery. The past few summers have been rough and the winters were harsh. Most of the time we've been inside.
It saddens me when I see someone lighting up a cigarette right when they step outside. I just want to tell them to take a moment, or anyone really, like really take some time to appreciate the lovely smell of the summer breeze and just take it all in.
What are some things you think people don't notice or appreciate but should?
#1
Waking up pain-free is something that most people take for granted. I think people who don’t suffer from any chronic pain disability are blessed and will never understand this invisible disability.
18points
#2
The moon. Its pull on our tides. Its navigational assistance. Its lighting up the night. And it’s unbelievably gorgeous. Silver! The minute I step outside when it’s visible, my eyes are drawn to it like a magnet, and we say “hello”.
13points
#3
Their health. Having a healthy body is a privilege and so many people abuse it.
12points
#4
Life itself
10points
#5
I must admit I take food in supermarkets and the money in my wallet to buy it for granted.
9points
#6
Exactly what you said in the title. Everyday, ordinary things. The weather we sometimes love or hate. Someone wishes for a sunny day, someone wishes for rain. Our tiny apartment. Our huge house (you gotta keep that clean!). Our lousy job. Our lack of job (we need money to survive). Our children. Our lack of children. Our pets. Our overabundance of pet hair. Our lack of pets. You name it, you on't know what you've got until it's gone, and the grass is always greener on the other side. Take a look around you for a moment and appreciate everything you have
8points
#7
Rainy nights and good books.
7points
#8
After caring for my own parents and losing my father just last year it’s made me realize how many people forget about the elderly people in their lives. I guess I never thought about it before and this is definitely a big commitment and I understand everyone has their own lives to live but I would love to see more people taking care of our elders. I think a lot of people either get caught up in their own things or expect others to take care of mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa. These folks are to be cherished and celebrated. Not forgotten.
6points
#9
Their pancreas. Do I need to explain?
6points
#10
Flushing toilets / indoor plumbing!
Nothing reminds you to appreciate indoor plumbing quite like enduring a "vault / pit /outhouse toilet" at a "rusic" campground for two whole weeks! Wuth no sink or shower, either!
Was beyond grateful to get home and shower (without hauling multiple buckets of water from a well tap)... and especially grateful to just walk across the hall to pee (Seriously! Who wants to walk a quarter mile in the middle of the night with a lantern... only to worry about mosquitoes biting you in the a*s... while sitting on the smelliest toilet ever as you literally hover over a hole filled with other people's excrement? 🤢).
Loved the trip, but was certainly glad to return to the normalcy of civilization... and indoor plumbing!
On that same note, electricity is another thing we take for granted (yet really miss when its not available)!
6points
#11
Animals cats,dogs,fish,birds snakes,ferrets,etc
They make you feel better.
They make you feel better.
5points
#12
The sky. If you look up, you see this vast, beautiful sky and nobody seems to appreciate how pretty it is.
5points
#13
Subtle beauty everywhere- the dandelion growing through a crack in the concrete, vines dangling from a brick wall, the sunset going below the trees. My favorite thing to do, that I realize I am extremely lucky to be able to- is looking at the stars on a clear night. Though most people in the country don’t realize that a large amount of our population never sees the Milky Way, because of light pollution in the city’s.
5points
#14
love, friendship, confidence....a sense of belonging?
4points
#15
Living in America. Not a perfect place but. It better than other countries and those who are here always complaining about America.
4points
#16
The nation we live in. The pandemic showed me how much so many really don’t appreciate the structure of this nation and the codes out there to keep everyone safe. When there came a time to have to do more, so many screamed about their “rights”. I don’t think the wearing of masks ever came up during the Constitutional Convention in 1789.🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
3points
#17
I know one bitter, angry, and miserable man who takes EVERYTHING for granted. I personally know people who have had their arms and legs blown off in combat and people who are dying of cancer who are happier than this fool.
3points
#18
Having enough food and a roof over their heads
3points
#19
Definitely getting enough sleep. I’ve been informally diagnosed with late insomnia, meaning I wake up super early.
Be grateful for your sleep, people.
Be grateful for your sleep, people.
3points
#20
That there comes water out of the faucet when you open it. In general: how good our lifes are compared to the life people live on other sides of this world.
2points