A Heart Of Thanks

Gratitude, one of the virtues that is cherished by our society. When someone helps you, you don’t have to repay them. A simple “thank you” can go a long way. The least you can do is show your appreciation. Whenever I see topics about virtues, I see it as an opportunity to brag about how my mom has helped me build my life. I grew up with a mom who'd always tell me to say “thank you” when someone does something for me no matter how small. My mom is very simple and easy to approach, but the part where you don’t say thank you is where she draws the line. She would always tell us to say “Thank you. God bless you.” Today, it has become a part of me, and has been helping me in my life.

Sadly, in today's world, some people take good deeds for granted. “She is my sister, and it is my right to enjoy her money.” Heck, no! That's the dumbest reason why you should not show gratitude. Feeling entitled to someone else’s wealth (regardless of bonds) is stupidity in its purest form. Have you ever been grateful when someone did something for you? In this post, I’ll share two personal experiences: first, when someone did something good for me and I showed gratitude and the other, when someone did something good for me but I did not understand until later.

A BLESSING OUT OF NOWHERE

This happened a few months ago when I was still in school. I had spent a lot of money on medications and some other personal expenses that I'd rather not disclose. I couldn't call my parents because it was not the best time. It was a really difficult period for everyone. I had just some thousand nairas and foodstuffs left. So, I sat down and analyzed everything. I brought out the investor skills in me. I realized I could manage everything until the end of exams when I'd go home. My plan was going well until something happened; my very good coursemate needed financial assistance. It was an emergency, and I couldn't turn him down. So, I gave him my money.

I knew I was not in a good position to help, but I just couldn't turn him down. So, I sat down again and re-strategized. I realized that the money and foodstuff left would only last for 2 days. I would've withdrawn from my wallet, but I had locked up my liquids in savings and would have to wait for 3 days before I could get them out. I came on Discord to chat with my friends when one of them noticed that I wasn't fine. At first, I was skeptical about opening up, but I later did. After hearing everything, the person did me a favour by sending something. I was really grateful. I couldn't stop showing my appreciation for days. Today, I still remember the good soul in my prayers.

A LESSON LEARNT A LITTLE TOO LATE

My mom is selfless. She has always been like this for as long as I can tell. My mom would give her last penny just to help someone. She always went out of her way to help others, even when she had little. She'd always tell us, her children, to emulate her. But we were blind. We had eyes but couldn't see. We’d always get angry because we felt she was doing too much. “You don’t have enough money yet you're helping others.”

It wasn't until later when I'd graduated from high school that I understood the lessons she was teaching us. The importance of generosity and kindness cannot be overstated. I have noticed that when I help people, my heart feels pure and closed to my creator and I would always get blessings out of the blue. Although I wished I had appreciated her more back then, I'm happy I realized before it got too late.

This is my entry to the INLEO prompt month. The topic is: Gratitude is important.

Thanks for reading.