Why do we wait?

I got some bad news from a friend this week. You know the kind, the kind that makes you immediately infinitely more appreciative of your life, your relationships, all that.

If you're reading this, it's pretty likely you practice daily gratitude, or at least practice gratitude in your life. 

I'm challenging all of you, including myself, to step it up a notch and truly cherish your life. 

Why does it take these moments of tragedy to wake us up? And why does that lucidity not last? It shouldn't take news of an accident, illness, death or divorce to make us stand up and say WOW I'm so incredibly lucky I have an amazing life. 

News hits of a shooting or horrible accident to befall kids somewhere and social media blows up with hug your kids messages. Someone's parent or grandparent dies and everyone calls or posts memories of their parents and grandparents. A tornado or hurricane levels a town and we suddenly stop complaining about the house we're living in.

Why do we wait? 

I know I'm really lucky. I have a lot of people around me that tell me they appreciate and care for me all the time, most of all my amazing husband. He's thankful for little things and big things in our life from running an errand for him to making his lunch for his trips, but there are moments like receiving this news yesterday when that all feels so superficial.

We need to strive to keep the best of us at the top of mind every day, not just in the aftermath of the latest tragedy.