Appreciation, appreciation. Appreciation.
What once was a word that could be judged by fact, based on outside evidence and observations, is now a word with relative meaning. What, to you, does it mean to appreciate? Deep down inside, many of us may have different answers.
To me, appreciation comes from sincerity. Its the feeling you get when you know you don’t necessarily have to have the things you’ve been given, but you have them anyway. Its the expression of thanks paired with the utmost humility. In short, it’s sincere gratitude.
How often do you express sincere gratitude?
More often than not, as college students, we get this feeling as if people owe us something. When we ask for favors, they have to be on our time, when we want them done, how we want them. We go to restaurants and give waiters a hard time – only to short them of the money they deserve on their tips. We call people only when we need them and never ever just to say hello – there has to be an ulterior motive.
Does this illustrate sincere gratitude? Because this certainly illustrates the actions of some of us.
As future leaders of society, it is important that we recognize and understand the difference between toleration and appreciation. We deal with people day to day, but we don’t take enough time to actually think about why we’re grateful for that person. We tolerate our jobs and internships, but more often than not, we forget why we wanted to be there in the first place.
Too often, we go around without saying thank you. We suck our parents’ pockets dry like sponges and get upset when they may not be able to give that little extra. We look at small things as simple “donations,” which for some reason don’t seem worthy enough to be thankful for.
I thank my Mother all the time for the smallest things, just for being her. Then, I see some of us who bicker with our parents when we don’t get our way. No. 1: how old are you? And No. 2: How many other mothers do you have? Fathers? I’ll wait.
Look around you. There are people here who are putting themselves through school, people with no parents. Appreciate yours – your sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Appreciate your true friends. There is a difference between those who you think are your friends rather than those who you know are your friends – most easily illustrated through Twitter, the relatively new phenomenon that gives people a certain “courage” to speak freely about themselves and others (that’s a horse of another color; we’ll save that for next week).
Most importantly, appreciate the things you have and the blessings that you’ve been given. For one, you’re here at the Mecca. Appreciate all this history. Appreciate your professors who are diligent and passionate about what they do. And, of course, appreciate yourself because without you – and a higher being, of course – none of this would be possible.
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