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Don't Know What you Got til It's Gone

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got til it's gone?" -Joni Mitchell

I've been thinking about how the little things are overlooked until they're obstructed, interrupted, or taken away.

Isn't it funny how much you appreciate breathing normally after you have a cold? When you don't have to trick yourself into falling asleep with your mouth open?

Today I realized how awesome clean air is when I went outside for a walk and was met with a ghastly aroma of distant wildfire, and a moment later down the street the smell of burnt toast from a bachelor pad's window. The crispy vaporous smells mingled. They were distinct, but equally void of refreshment. The walk didn't last long. It was just too gross out there.

I can't believe I used to complain about doing the dishes when I lived at home with mom and dad in a house with an excellent dishwasher. I've been doing dishes by hand in my own apartment for 8 years now. I've gotten real good at it, but dishwashers look like a deluxe amenity these days.

Clear sidewalks and available ramps, so awesome and so few and far between (at least in my town). Having a stroller has given me an acute awareness of how difficult it must be for individuals with wheelchairs to get places, and my heart aches for them! I can sometimes off-road it a little with a stroller. But I don't know that it's that easy in a wheelchair.

Today I'm just grateful for the things I've got and want to recommit to appreciate the little stuffs I'm blessed with most days, like clean air and a lack of congestion.

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