Lottery of Life moments come every now and again, when I experience what can only be described as pure bliss.
I feel as though a cool wave of calm sweeps over me, temporarily ridding me of my problems, anxieties, and tension. I had one of those experiences last week.
What was going on for me to go through such a state, you ask?
The truth could surprise you.
Because my external reality was, well, a little lackluster.
I had gone to the supermarket and was walking home with my weekly groceries.
It is not quite the scene for “perfect happiness” as one might think.
Maybe you pictured me sitting on a mountaintop, cross-legged, and wrapped in silk robes, meditating.
Or, on a clear night, looking up at the gleaming galaxy.
Nope, just a scumbag carrying the goods home.
I grinned and exclaimed out loud, “Man, I am lucky,” as the late spring light shined down on me.
On the inside, ideas were flowing like calm streams, creating a vast sea of gratitude in my head, even if everything was normal on the outside.
In the distance, I could see a verdant forest, which I enjoyed.
It was good to be walking, I thought.
Thank goodness I had food.
I was glad I had a place to go back to.
I was grateful to be alive and to have seen everything.
Thinking back on this event, I wonder: Why are these kinds of situations so uncommon?
What prevents me (and others) from experiencing this blissful condition more frequently?
The illness of more is my response and my reality.
We spend a lot of time thinking about the things we do not have in our lives. We concentrate on having more, doing more, and being more. We lose sight of who we already are when we concentrate on more. Our only option. Everything we currently have in our life.
Our attention to what is out of reach causes us to lose sight of everything else around us, much like the donkey pursuing a carrot on a stick.
What if we have already won the lottery of life in many respects?
And what if, instead of pursuing more carrots, the way to happiness was to appreciate the ones we already have?
I acknowledge that experiencing trauma, sorrow, or adversity can make it difficult to enjoy the small joys in life. However, I believe that most of us lose sight of these benefits because we are preoccupied with all the things we desire but lack.
I have done study on everything I celebrated on this day in order to better understand how grateful I felt recently. Sharing my story with others could help them realize that they, too, might have already won the lottery of life.
1. I appreciate my senses.
Even though I see the woodland that backs up to my flat every day, I was enthralled by its beauty on the walk home today. It was amazing to see the various shades of the green trees and the vastness of the forest, which looms above the village’s homes.
I have come to recognize how frequently I take my vision for granted. An estimated 246 million individuals worldwide have limited vision, and 39 million are blind, according to a 2010 data collection.
Did you know that we have fifteen senses in addition to the five conventional ones—sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound? Among these are the senses of time, temperature, and balance. And they are all deserving of gratitude.
2. I appreciate my body.
“If you want to feel more appreciated instantaneously, alter your ‘I have to’ words to ‘I get to’ remarks,” a wise buddy of mine once advised me. When I first made this small adjustment, it had a significant impact.
I had to walk across town to meet with a customer late last year, which made me grumpy. I rewrote the scenario in my mind from “Oh, I have to walk across town” to “I get to walk across town” after remembering my friend’s advise.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge when I suddenly felt gratitude for my legs. I have not grumbled about having to walk anywhere since. Having a working body is a blessing that many individuals, regrettably, lack.
3. I appreciate that I have food to eat.
Over three billion people, or nearly half of the world’s population, subsist on less than $2.50 per day. Over 1.3 billion people are living below $1.25 per day, which is considered extreme poverty.
Bringing the bulky shopping bags home did not bother me. I will admit that I have occasionally grumbled. What an issue in the first world! I came to appreciate the luxury of having a store within walking distance, where food is easily accessible, and having the funds to buy it.
4. I appreciate having a place to live.
An estimated 100 million individuals were homeless globally in 2005, the last time the UN undertook a global study. According to Habitat (2015), up to 1.6 billion people required proper housing.
I was astounded to read this figure. It is hard enough to imagine a million people, let alone 100 million. A larger home is a dream for many of us. The truth is that our existing residence would be seen as a palace by many.
5. I appreciate being alive.
On this particular day, I felt a sense of gratitude for life as I came home from my shopping trip.
According to scientists, there is a one in 400 trillion chance that any of us will be born.
Take a moment to consider that figure. Give it time to sink in.
A insane number of things had to come together just right for you to be reading this right now. It is only the beginning that your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all met at the same time.
You are indeed here at this very moment. You can read this because of your eyes. Without your conscious awareness, your autonomic nervous system has been controlling your breathing and heartbeat, among other body processes.
If we are paying attention, we can appreciate anything and everything. I recently celebrated a number of things, these being just a handful. Thank you for giving me the chance to share them.