It was great to
have down time, and to really just be in the moment. We didn’t plan a hectic schedule – we barely
planned anything at all. We rose in the
morning when it felt right, ate leisurely meals or missed them if we were
engrossed in activities and didn’t worry too much about keeping up a regular
routine. We spent some time at the
beach, clambering over rocks. Some time
at local attractions, climbing up and down steps of the local caves. It was just an awesome time. And we all felt so appreciative.
We appreciated
the time we could spend together. We
appreciated the beauty of the environment and landscape, and amazing sunsets. We appreciated the quality of the local
produce we ate and drank, and the people that brought it to us. We appreciated the place where we stayed and
the owners’ ability to cater for all our needs.
And on hearing of
the most terrible act affecting Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 on the 18th
July 2014…. all those lives lost – many children, all of them innocent; the
unimaginable pain of their grieving families and friends….. it just brought
home the importance to appreciate what we have here and now.
I really like the
following quotes on the topic of being appreciative, and I hope you do too:
“I would rather be able to appreciate
things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.”
― Elbert Hubbard
― Elbert Hubbard
“I wake up in the morning and I see that
flower, with the dew on its petals, and at the way it's folding out, and it
makes me happy, she said. It's important to focus on the things in the here and
now, I think. In a month, the flower will be shrivelled and you will miss its
beauty if you don't make the effort to do it now. Your life, eventually, is the
same way.”
― Dan Buettner, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way
― Dan Buettner, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way
“Be happy with who you are and what you do,
and you can do anything you want.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end
up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever
have enough”
― Oprah Winfrey
― Oprah Winfrey
Do you ensure
that you appreciate the goodness in your life? Have you felt the benefit of acknowledging
that appreciation? I’d love to hear your
thoughts, so post a comment below or send me an email to livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .