The Day Will Come You Won’t Be
In AMC’s “The Walking Dead”, there are two lines in season one that always stuck out to me. The main character, Rick Grimes, after being released from near condemnation and death from a scientist says “I’m grateful.” And the scientist’s solemn response is “The day will come when you won’t be.”
The Gratitude Attitude is a very difficult mindset to cultivate. There is so much in our modern world to distract us. These distractions rip away any sense of fulfillment or security we had. There’s always someone with something better. There’s always something to take away our peace.
Like any skill, gratitude requires constant arduous repetition. There are some days when it comes as naturally as walking. Other days require you to consistently remind your Self of the good things. We often love to ignore the good things. This is because the good things oppose our nature as animals. Animals don’t worry about the good things. Animals don’t worry about the bad things. Animals just are. They do what they set out to do: to survive, to thrive, to live. And like all things, they have to accept their demise when it arrives.
Our goal as humans should be the same thing. We just have a lot more work to do than the animals of our world. It would be nice to be a bird or a fish. But you are a man or a woman. And you as an individual come with your own personal set of difficult responsibilities. But you have to stick to the plan. Focus on your goals. Keep consistent with your good habits. Stay humble and be grateful. But the day will come when you won’t be.
You can’t be perfect. So don’t strive for perfection. Just aim up. Try to make a tomorrow a better place then today. If you can’t do that, figure out a way. It is your duty to be the best version of yourself. And the best version of yourself is grateful, humble, generous, patient, kind, strong, and diligent.
Perhaps you think are none of these things. Perhaps you think you are nothing. Worth nothing. Useless. Maybe you think pain and suffering is all you feel. You might think, “I hate everything and feel ungrateful.” Do not dismay, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
And if you truly only see and feel the negative. If you truly are ungrateful. I’ll only tell you this: THE DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WON’T BE.
