Spoiled or Blessed?
Living gratefully today, I offer appreciation for the ease of getting a drink of cold water, for feet to put shoes on, for my sense of touch as I step outside and feel milder air.
Am I spoiled by all of this? Or am I blessed by all of this? “Spoiled” puts layers of unpleasant emotions between me and my fellow humans— guilt, judgment, unworthiness.
“Blessed” connects us all with good energy and generative emotions— gratefulness, kindness, compassion, awe.
In talking about feeling cozy the other day, I found myself feeling spoiled. I thought about it and landed on blessed instead. There is so much abundance I didn’t do anything to earn or deserve, but that is true of everyone on the planet. Waking up to a new day. Air to breathe. Nature to observe and immerse ourselves in. Knowing the joy of shared smiles and the profound connection in tears shed.
Some of us were born into more fortunate circumstances. Does that mean we are spoiled? Maybe only if we have that attitude about it. And maybe it only seems that we were born into better conditions.
The supposed aspirations of the culture and society I live in seem to put a lot of value on stuff and materialism. Does that make us spoiled or blessed? I would argue that shows itself in how we acquire and care for all of that stuff. Do I appreciate the house I have? Is it big enough, comfortable enough, sturdy enough? Yes, it is. I sit in it now, at peace and with contentment.
If I want a bigger house with newer and better stuff in it, do I continue to sit in this house with peace and contentment? Probably not. If I look at an item I use regularly as dated or lacking, do I take special care of it? Probably not.
Someone living in a simple structure of four walls and a few pieces of functional furnishings somewhere else on the planet may know the same sense of peace and contentment in their home as I do in mine. Someone living in a large mansion may feel lonely and lacking.
Spoiled wants more. Blessed already has enough. Spoiled gets greedy. Blessed is about giving.
Spoiled or blessed? Which attitude will I take into today?
