When we are young adults, we often go through life somewhat thinking that we’re invincible. We don’t stop to think about the “what ifs” or the consequences of our actions. Life is all about having fun and finally getting the chance to do what we want to do. While it is very important to enjoy our youth, it is equally important to be mindful of how our actions can impact ourselves and others. As I reflect on my imaginary Aunt Nippy’s (Whitney Houston) life I realize that we take a lot of things for granted. We take good music for granted. Oprah Winfrey declared Whitney Houston’s voice as “THE Voice.” We rarely find raw talent like Whitney Houston these days and many of us didn’t think we would lose her before another great comeback. Whitney realized that her voice was a gift from God and that she should always give Him praise for blessing her with such a powerful gift. How often do we throw our talents around as if we bought them or are somehow rightful heirs to them? Any talents that we have are simply gifts from above and we should treat them as such. Just as our earthly gifts can be taken away, so can our heaven-sent gifts. We must use our talents for good, not evil. The gift of love is another gift that many of us take for granted. I’m sure that Whitney and Bobbi Kristina loved each other more than words can express. I also believed that they openly expressed their love for one another. But in our own lives how many times do we stop to tell our loved ones that we love them? How often do we call to check on someone who is going through a tough time? Maybe a few more “I love you’s” could be the difference between someone being a drug addict and being drug-free. It’s easy to get annoyed with our mother when she’s minding our business instead of her own. We may have an attitude with our friends today, knowing that tomorrow everything will be ok. But what if it’s not? What if tomorrow comes without someone that we love dearly? Will they know how much they were loved and appreciated or do we have to wait until the funeral to speak of our adoration for the deceased? The gift of education is another gift often taken for granted. We act as though the world owes us an education when in fact the world owes us nothing. There are so many children who are excited to touch a book while some of us refuse to even open the expensive books that we are blessed to be able to afford. We go through high school and college wanting to be in with the cool kids, failing to realize that there are no cool kids in the adult world and the latest fashion probably won’t get us a job. An education doesn’t always guarantee a well-paying job, but it is something that no one can ever take from us. An education allows us to culture ourselves from a classroom which is an amazing thing. As we travel through life let’s remember to show gratitude to our family, friends, teachers, and other influential people in our lives. Decide to embrace each talent and live each day as though it is a gift. One day you’ll see that every moment that we are alive is not a debt owed to us, it is truly a gift.
Written By: Nelle Belle
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