Refresh the page for a new quote!

When someone asks me, “How are you doing?” I sometimes answer, “Better than I deserve.”

Often, people are taken aback by this reply because it’s not the typical answer they receive when they ask someone how they’re doing. But, it is so true. No matter how difficult or hard things may be at the moment, things could always be worse. Not only that. If we do an honest examination of our current situation, we’re likely to see that things are actually not as bad as we think. In fact, if we look at what we actually do deserve, we may just realize that we ought to be grateful for what we’ve got.

The problem is that, so often, we think we deserve better. We think we deserve better in terms of how we’re treated by others, our salary, living quarters and more. We think we’re entitled to things. Surely, it would be nice to be treated well by others, have a decent salary, live in a nice house and drive a nice vehicle. But, are we really entitled to
anything?

We’re born into this world without anything, and we will depart this world without any earthly possessions or titles. Yet, we’re so engrossed with attaining such things that, when we don’t, we complain, grumble and make comparison with other people.

I take what I have and attained in my life all in terms of this lens called grace. Grace is a free gift given to those who did not do anything to deserve it. It is given because the giver willingly and freely chose to give. Not because the recipient is deserving of that gift. If we look at our life with this lens of grace, then it just may be possible for us to become more humble and be grateful for what we do have and actually cherish it.

I propose we think about what we actually deserve and be grateful each and every day. Count your blessings, big and small, today, and know that you are blessed beyond what you can actually measure. And, next time, when someone asks you, “How are you doing?” consider to pause and say, “Better than I deserve.”

_____________________________
Living. Laughing. Learning. Loving.