There is something that, at one point or another, we have all taken for granted and that is life itself. We take the fact that we wake up every morning, that we have someplace to live and that we have people that love us for granted, thinking it’ll always be that way because that’s the way it has been. It is fine to be comforted by those things but it becomes dangerous when we grow complacent. The danger is in being so used to having a place to call home, a loving family, and friends who support you that you forget to cherish them, to be grateful for them and to say thank you to them and for them whenever you can.

When I was younger, my mother would always pray for people who had families that did not make it through the night and that humbled me. I am constantly planning for the future when I have no idea if I’m ever going to see it. Of course, I would like to see it, but instead of being excited about what is going on next month or next year, I need to remind myself that the present, this very day, is a gift unto me. Anything beyond that is a bonus. I reflect on my mother’s words in her prayers – so much so that they have become my own – and from them, I have learned that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. We hold so many things in because we think we have time and because we assume that people know how we feel. Since we have already established that our time here is finite, holding anything in, especially feelings about someone, is ill-advised. If you love someone, appreciate something your friend did for you or were moved by a post you just read, share it with them. No one is a mind reader, so even if you think a person knows how you feel, tell them anyway. Heck, tell them again. Not only does it allow you to share with someone how they have been a blessing to you, it allows you to be a blessing to them, recognizing what they have done for you, whether they realized it or not.

We are just days away from Christmas, a celebration of Christ’s birth, the ultimate gift to mankind. It is also a day where we show how much we love and cherish one another through gift-giving. Oftentimes, we wait for holidays to share our feelings for loved ones and friends, overwhelming them with love and our joy for their presence in our lives. It’s not the worst strategy but I am offering an alternative. Holidays should be a confirmation of how much we love and cherish the people in our lives, not the first time they’re hearing it. It should never be a secret to anyone that you care about them. Tell people how you feel about them when you feel it and cherish those in your life now. Not tomorrow.