Grateful for: The Small Things in Life

By: Jose Alex Reyes

I live a very hectic life and don’t realize the small things in life. From taking four rigorous classes, having a prominent role in five clubs/organizations, being the first person in my family to attend college, and going through the college process, there’s a lot of things in mind that steer me away from the small things in life.

One night, I was home alone, which was a pretty rare moment in which I was lying in bed in the dark. I get pretty anxious at night because I start to overthink the small things in life. I was analyzing my breathing patterns and was looking into the dark void that was my room. When I realized whether I opened my eyes or not, I would still see darkness. I started to appreciate my eyesight. I’m creatively driven, meaning colors and tunes around me make me feel motivated and get me running in the morning. When I started to think to myself that I couldn’t see or hear, it made me feel grateful for what I take for granted. When I was thinking of my breathing patterns, I thought of how effortlessly it came to me. I realized I never start my day thanking myself for the small things that keep me alive and keep me motivated to start my day.

This moment of my life happened during quarantine, which has led many people, including me, to never take anything for granted. That being your health, the five senses that some of us are lucky to have, the shelter we live in, the warm comfort we get from our clothing, and so much more. We have to be grateful for the small things that lead us to never take anything for granted and our privileges as human beings.