“Don’t take things for granted.”
That’s something I’ve tried to adhere to in my life over the last decade or so because it seems like in our rushed, go-go-go, hundred-mile-an-hour lives that we lead, some things just have a way of falling through the cracks or being pushed to the side.
Sooner or later, you come to regret not taking the time for *this* or forgetting to get around to doing *that*. You put something or even someone off for so long, and one day you realize that you should’ve made the time.
By our daily actions that we think have little to no consequence, and sometimes through no true fault of our own, we take things for granted, even the littlest of things.
I have a large, sprawling family comprised of all kinds of personalities that stretches across this province, across this country and down into our neighbors to the South. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not as close with some as I should be, and we don’t see each other as often as we probably should, and it’s a shame that some of them don’t talk to each other, and sometimes in the past there were more than a few raised voices and a few fights broken out between assorted members, but I also know that they’d be there for me in the blink of an eye if I needed any of them for anything, no questions asked. Doesn’t matter if it was a ride, a meal, a few bucks, a roof over my head, or just a pair of ears to listen to what I’ve got to say. Knowing some of them as well as I do, I’m pretty sure I can say with at least a little bit of confidence that they’d even lend an extra pair of hands to bury a body somewhere in the vast Saskatchewan landscape. That’s how tight my family can be when needed. We’re kind of like a rubber band; you can pull it and pull it further apart, but sooner or later, it just snaps right back into place. I don’t take it for granted.
I have a very small circle of close friends who, again, make up a handful of different-yet-also-similar personalities, mindsets and character traits. I met these guys 19 years ago through what was, at least at the time, the worst thing I thought could ever happen to me when I had to repeat the eighth grade. As it turns out, it was actually the best thing that ever happened to me because I met these guys who would turn out to be my brothers from other mothers. I know that phrase is a little cliché, but it’s also very true when it comes to “my guys” and our small but dedicated circle. I don’t take it for granted.
I have an amazing job that has given me a whole new perspective on myself, on the world, on life, and on humanity as a whole. Our newspaper and website may reach a specific chunk of readers that are interested in the goings-on of a specific regional area, but what dedicated and thoughtful readers they are. I’m happy if our publication brings a smile to peoples’ faces, and I’m always grateful when they say as such to me out in public. On top of that, this career has allowed me to do the thing I’ve always wanted to do in the first place – get paid to write. I don’t take it for granted.
I live in a pretty incredible country that allows me to experience the best of both worlds; the scenic and serene rural landscapes coupled with the hustle and bustle of the city if one so desires. I grew up in a small village, but I’ve also traveled to some of the most bold and vibrant locations in Canada, and all of it has left an imprint on my brain that leaves me with an appreciation for all things Canadiana – big, small, and medium. I don’t take it for granted.
These are things that I have in my life, and perhaps you find similarities between us, or maybe there are differences because no one person or life is the same. I don’t take any of these things for granted because in the world we live in today, none of us truly ever know what tomorrow may bring. With the headlines shouting things such as ‘Mass Shooting!’ or ‘Public Bombing!’, we need to have a better appreciation for all that we have, even if it’s those littlest of things that might give us a simple but pleasant momentary joy.
This Sunday, November 11 on Remembrance Day, I hope you’ll do your part to honor the fighting men and women who served and died to help ensure that our tomorrows would still be reality.
They put it all on the line for us, and they sure didn’t take anything for granted.
For this week, that’s been the Ruttle Report.
