Simple things also need gratitude. That is definitely what we take for granted the most, simple things. Like the mere presence of a person, or your running water in your house. The simple fact is that the water gets hot. Having a washing machine, was a rude wake-up call when I didn’t have one. No dryer, hanging everything out to dry. Only two days a week the water tanks would open up and what you used to store your water had to be filled during those time frames. Tinacos are what they call the holding tanks for the water. If I needed stuff from the store, I walked. I remember days I would walk and end up in the church house sitting there just praying by myself. I would think about everyone and pray for them. I never recall praying for myself though. To be able to endure the life I was living that I was so unaccustomed to. I got so tired of not understanding the language I forced myself to learn because like my whole life I felt left out. I learned to understand within the first year. Speaking took longer though especially with my accent. I quickly became known as La Weta. My way of life was being changed drastically.
My gratitude that I lacked for the simple things was smacking me in the face. I washed my clothes by hand and cooked two meals a day for 10 to 12 people with about 50 pesos a day. Celebrations that was a whole different game though. In the pueblo events would last a week, that was cooking and cleaning and making sure the guest were eating. They would kill at least two pigs and two cows. Not to mention the chickens you would go buy and cook. Parties were held and hundreds would show. The amount of alcohol was unreal and just how much shocked me. Holidays were different and unique. They were celebrated in their own beautiful way. This made me see things from a completely different perspective.
My whole life up until then I had been ungrateful. Ungrateful for many things but those years I spent learning exactly what gratitude was. I learned a lot about myself and just how fortunate I was growing up. One piece of advice that I can relay to anyone is that if you have a single perspective on something try listening to a few more before coming to a good and fair conclusion on something or another human being for that matter.
Fly on Faith 🕊 