“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.”
-Aldous Huxley, 1894 – 1963, English writer.
Standing in the shower today with the water cascading over this body I thought about how often we take things for granted. I know that when I turn on the shower the water will spew forth. When I turn on the stove the gas will light, the kettle will boil when I fill it with water and switch it on and the lavatory will flush.
Following the February earthquake in Christchurch many homes were without water and operational lavatories and so the City Council imported thousands of portaloos that they positioned in various places around the city and outskirts. I had thought originally, that each individual house had one. But obviously this was not so as we read ” Meanwhile the city council has issued “some tips on toilet etiquette to help ease the situation” -Be tolerant -Think of your neighbors – leave the loo how you would like to find it……”
Power was reinstated to most homes affected within a short time but some houses have been without running water now for 13 weeks. They are still being advised to boil all drinking water before use.
We hear almost daily, of further after shocks some in the region of 5 on the Richter scale. How scary must it be to live there and it is made more uncomfortable to many because of the lack of running water and operational sewers.
So today I am looking at the things we take for granted and making a real effort to imagine living without them.
Here’s a Max Lucado quote that I particularly like :
“Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, “Do you like it? I did it just for you.”
I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 