I appreciate...

It is 4:10 am. I love writing but not enough to wake up at such an hour to do so. I woke up because I could not sleep. I could not sleep because I could not breathe properly. I could not breathe properly because lately, my lungs have formed a habit of going berserk in the dead of night and wee hours of the morning. They only regain sanity as the day progresses, behaving properly as temperatures increase till the midday sun, and then they prepare for go slow once evening sets in. Tonight, I tossed and turned. I coughed and spat. I laboured to get some much needed oxygen into my lungs. However, it seemed that my lungs had had enough of this daily bread and desired something else. Hence, I woke up, frustrated that I could not access something as freely available as oxygen. Nonetheless, it is in such moments that one appreciates the things that are usually taken for granted. I could not help but think of such as these.

I appreciate the wonder that is air, oxygen, to be precise. If we had to pay for such a valuable commodity, then new phrases would have to be created to replace similes such as “broke as a church mouse.” It is amazing how our intricate bodies rely on oxygen for their existence and functioning. I appreciate the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protect this commodity from pollution. They are a breath of fresh air-literally. I appreciate the inventor of the oxygen tank. It is my hope that I never get to use it. However, in the unfortunate event that I do, I shall remember­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Stephine J and whisper a prayer in thanksgiving.

I appreciate the men and women who have not let physical disabilities and maladies get the best of them. I appreciate the men and women who have excelled in sports; men and women who defied all odds and proved to the world that with a belief in a good God, sheer determination and a sprinkling of talent, all is possible. I appreciate their friends and families who stood by them when no one else would. I appreciate the long nights they spent in preparing them for their respective stations in life; the impeccable patience they exhibited when their own lives came to a standstill that the lives of their loved ones may be kept in motion. I appreciate the men and women who believed in them and in what they could accomplish; men and women who did not laugh in their faces when these beloved turned up in their offices asking to be trained. 

I appreciate the men and women who have redefined policies at their work places along with the mindsets of their colleagues. They are the men and women who refused to be identified by their physical limitations but instead chose to be recognized for their merits. They are the ones who refused the notion that holding out a begging bowl to the world is the only option available to them. They are the ones who sought the improving of their minds through thick and thin. They are the ones who overcame obstacles that would have shaken the otherwise “normal” men and women. I appreciate them.

I appreciate the men and women who have proven that leadership is not hindered by physical disability. I appreciate those who went ahead to show that they too can lead. They are the ones who stood before us a few months ago and convinced us that they deserved our votes. We gave it to them. Now, we are proud to see them representing us in the manner that we expect of them. 

It is now 4:50 am. I feel so much better. Perhaps, it is therapeutic to take time and appreciate the things that we usually take for granted.