There's a story I heard once that goes something like: “For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For the want of a horse, the king was lost. For the want of a king, the battle was lost. For the want of a battle the war was lost. All for the want of a nail.”
I wonder why we take so many simple things for granted. For example, there was a time when there was no such thing as peanut butter. Now, for me anyway, it seems that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the “always available” meal for when you don't want to cook and funds don't really allow for a trip to the local fast-food place. Then, when you go to make your peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you discover there's no jelly in the refrigerator, or the last two slices of bread have green stuff growing on them. When faced with such challenges, one tends to appreciate simple things like ample ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When one reaches into the underwear drawer and the drawer contains nothing clean, one tends not to complain about having to load the washing machine. Instead, one is usually filled with gratitude that the washing machine is there in the first place. When a loved one is no longer there, you tend not to spend much energy complaining about the fact that their snoring would sometimes keep you awake.
I am the first to admit that I have a very blessed life. Physically, I am in relatively good shape (although the struggle to change that shape to a less “round” shape continues). I am able to come to work every day to a job I truly love, with people I truly love. I have close friends and family that help make my life complete and wonderful memories of close friends and family who are no longer around. On top of that, I have an ample supply of peanut butter and jelly in my cupboard. I also know I can't take any of that for granted. For want of fresh bread, the sandwich was lost.