Hey there,
Ever stopped and thought about all the small things in life that we take for granted and just assume will be there tomorrow? The other day, just as I was in the shower, all covered in soap, the water suddenly stopped. Turned out there was a busted pipe on the next block, and it took them half a day to fix it.
As I was trying to wash the foam off me with some bottled water and get ready for work, I started thinking about how many things I just expect to work, show up, or happen without a second thought.
But, what if those "little things" are actually miracles to someone else?
Think about it. Тhe clean water from our showers, a working smartphone, or even a warm bed at night. For us, these things might seem ordinary, normal parts of life that we never give much thought on. But imagine if someone didn’t have them. Suddenly, that simple glass of clean water is a miracle. That phone call to a friend becomes something precious. And that cozy bed at night feels like a luxury.
It’s easy to lose sight of this because we’re so used to all kinds of conveniences baked into our routines. We wake up, grab a cup of hot coffee, head to work (and not on foot), come back, watch some TV, and do it all again the next day. And most days, we don’t even think twice about how amazing each of these steps truly is.
Imagine explaining some of our daily comforts to someone who’s not only never had them, but never even seen them with their own eyes. Imagine not having access to any entertainment apart from the stories of your family and neighbors.
For billions of people, water doesn’t just flow out of a faucet on command. They have to walk miles to get it, carry it back, and then boil it just to make sure it’s safe to drink. When you get too hot on a summer day, you can pop in the first store and get a bottle of cold fresh water. Too many people don’t have this luxury and have to plan their water needs in advance. I got really hung up on how intentional sourcing water must be for these people. They have to essentially plan their water consumption in advance, and for someone that grew up with limitless access to drinking water, this is really hard to fully comprehend.
Powering up our lights, air-conditioning, phones, and laptops seems like a trivial thing. But there are entire communities that live in the dark after sunset. No lights, no heat, no charging station for devices – just pure darkness pierced only by candles and gas lamps.
We can walk into a store and pick from hundreds of options without much thought. There’s fresh produce, baked goods, and snacks from around the world. We have slowly turned consumerism into a cult. At the same time, for many, a single meal a day is a huge deal and endless choices a thing of fiction.
The more I thought about all this, the more it made sense how easy it is to fall into the habit of same-old, same-old. Our routines feel safe, maybe even a little boring sometimes. But if you think about it and look at these routines differently, they start to sparkle a bit.
I remember reading about astronauts who come back from space and say that they’re suddenly amazed by the smell of fresh air, the feel of grass, and even the sight of a sunset. And those were all just normal things and experiences before. But after experiencing a place where none of that exists? It all felt like magic.
The same goes for people who have traveled to areas hit by disasters. They talk about how they come back and can’t believe how easy it is to flick on a light switch, or just how many little things we have in our homes to make life comfortable.
After thinking about this and getting a clearer picture of how many things I take for granted, I started to ponder another question.
How do we bring back that feeling of awe for our everyday miracles?
It might sound simple, but I think it starts with paying a little more attention and trying to be more intentional in our actions, instead of expecting abundance to just be there.
Just taking a minute each day to notice something small and appreciate it. Maybe it’s the hot shower, the morning coffee, or even the comfy chair I sit in. It’s all about looking at these things with fresh eyes and realizing how lucky I am to have them.
I’ve also started to ask myself what would it be not to have something. Imagining life without the basics I take for granted gives a truly fresh perspective. It’s like a wake-up call that these things are quite special and there’s a lot to be grateful for.
I’ve even caught myself going down the rabbit hole a few times, pondering questions like how would I take showers if we had no piping in the city? I understand that having no piping can’t happen while everything else stays the same, but I still find it interesting to try and figure out how life would look if one specific modern luxury didn’t exist.
Now, I’m not saying we all need to live as if everything could disappear tomorrow. However, thinking through such scenarios helps us act with more intention which is very positive, at least in my view. When we start to see the ordinary as the extraordinary it is, it gives life a bit more color. We feel happier, more at peace, and (at least in my limited experience so far) a little less stressed.
I guess there’s something pretty magical in the little things we often forget about. They might seem small, but they make life easier, brighter, and a whole lot more comfortable. And to someone else, they might be the very definition of a miracle.
Next time you turn on the shower, switch on the light, or pick up your phone, take a second and think about what a wonder that really is. Not only doesn’t everyone get to experience it, but humankind didn’t experience it for thousands of years.
Anyway, that’s all I had for today. I’ve been thinking about all the luxuries we consider as basic and wanted to share. Thank you for reading and sharing the newsletter with friends and family. It’s the main way for me to grow and reach more people and I highly appreciate it.
See you next week.
Best,
Dobri 🍃