The focus for the 5th week (Jan. 31 – Feb. 06) of the 52 Weeks of Gratitude Challenge was:
Something Someone Gave Me
Generosity is a lesson on giving what you have. Most people think that generosity only has to do with money. Hence some tend to ask questions like “How can I be generous when I have no money?” Or say things like like “I cannot be generous because I am not yet rich!”.
Learn From Your Own Life
Oh ye of little faith; you couldn’t be any more wrong! But I do not completely blame you because I once thought so too, until I realized a fact from my own life.
I consider my life to be interesting because I have learned so much from just paying attention to my life. Years ago, I started becoming aware of my answer to a question that people often asked me. The question usually goes something like this: nice [so and so], how much did you buy it? Or they would ask… I like your [so and so], where did you get it from?
What was my answer? Well after a while, I realized that my answer was usually “oh this? I didn’t buy it” or “well it was a gift”. My answer was usually between those lines.
Could generosity be the key to abundance?
That was when it hit me! About 30% to 50% of the things I own, are gifts! And people give me stuff because I give them my time, support, effort, ideas and company. I realized that I was generous, with everything else I had. I am not rich nor do I have so much money to spend on myself. But there are so many other ways I have been generous. Could generosity be the key to abundance?
In the Bible, it says “give, and it will be give to you” and those who live in abundance know the importance of giving. Many successful people advice that before you take, you must first give. This was the principle I put to practice sometime last year, and the result was overwhelming. Since then, that became my policy… add value first!
The Greatest Gift
I have given much, but I have been given much more, in return. I have received things that became my only possession of its kind. I have also received more of the things I already have. All these things make life beautiful, because I can always look to an object and remember who gifted that to me. When I remember the gift and the story behind it, it could make my day or even make my week.
Yet, we cannot enjoy or appreciate all these things if we were never born. I know this is an irrational fear, but my greatest fear is the fear of never being born. I know, it is unreasonable, but the thought of never being born just scared the hell out of me!
That is why life, to me, is the greatest gift of all. The privilege to partake in this thing we call life, is invaluable. I know that some people have seen the worst parts of life, that some would wish they were never born. But most forget, like the old saying, that “this too will pass”. Or as we like to say in Nigeria “no condition is permanent”.
Kito
But if I am to be grateful this week, for something someone gave me, that thing would be Kito, my car.
In November of 2015, I went to Warri for Elohor’s wedding, and I drove all through. It was also the weekend of my secondary school’s reunion for my graduating set. So I had to drive between Ekpan and DSC at least once every day, for 3 days. In one day, I had to drive that route (either going or coming) 3 times!
My parents did not want me to drive because they were afraid of all that could go wrong. But as for me, I was excited and positive about all that could go right! After the wedding and reunion, I thought about how much having Kito with me that period meant. It would have been difficult, if not impossible, for me to cover all that distance in the time I did. I probably would have been stuck at one location, one day at a time!
Kito came to me like an unexpected baby, and I have been adjusting to caring for him as a new addition to the family. But life would have been much different without Kito, and so I am grateful for this gift that is my car!
What object or possession has meant so much for you lately?
Please share in the comment section below. Thanks
7 things was grateful for during the 5th week of this 52 weeks of gratitude challenge:
- GgffI know it’s not very healthy to eat beef all the time, but you have to admit that kilishi tastes very good. So yes, let us thank God for Kilishi
- Things are very rough for me right now, but I am hopeful; I have not lost hope. So I am grateful for hope, especially during rough patches
- I’m grateful for the fruits we grow in our compound, like papaya and mangoes, and also the avocado pear that drops into our compound from the neighbor’s tree lol
- One good thing about me is that I can sleep without a pillow. But I’m thankful for the invention that is the pillow
- I know I will die someday, everyone will. But the privilege to have been born, remains the greatest gift of all, to me. So today, I am grateful for the gift of life!
- The fact that we’re free, autonomous beings started to fascinate me from a very young age. I wondered how we can all act independently of one another, not as if someone or something was controlling us, or that we must act one person at a time. I’m grateful for freewill, even though we often abused it
- Thank God that daddy returned home safely from the village, plus I’m grateful for the opportunity to invest in my future through today’s seed sowing service
View last week’s post: www.kheme.tk/2016/01/gratitude-challenge-week-4-family-member/