APPRECIATION..... I got inspired to write this while sitting on a toilet, it sounds nasty, I know. Well, the truth is I had a flashback, when I just gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt and a lecturer encouraged to stay in the hostel in my first year. I remember all the nasty tales I heard about the hostel life, how 12 girls would manage one small room, how you have no right to privacy but the one that really sounded nasty was the fact that you had to get a spare bucket to excrete inside. I thought the girl was trying to crack a joke or she was exaggerating. It turned out to be true; we had to do this to prevent diseases. Using the toilet directly was a taboo, you had to empty your system waste in a bucket, and then throw it into the toilet. No wonder, I did not last in the hostel. I packed my stuffs in my 2nd semester and told myself ‘I was satisfied with the experience’’. Moved into an off campus residence. Sitting down on my toilet at home and feeling comfortable made me realize how everything can be appreciated once you know its value. How often do you appreciate what you have? I realize that most people are guilty of this sin “running to God when the chips are down”; I used to be like that. We often don’t appreciate him until we are faced with a near death experience or something far worse. At that gruesome moment, we realize that we can’t do it on our own except we get a divine intervention. This automatically means that our relationship with God is just for benefits. This is wrong. When some people talk about God, you only hear it but it is not seen in their actions. They claim to love God but there is no love in their life, they claim to be lovers of God but only remember him in times of need. Friendship with benefits is selfish, even as humans; we hate this kind of relationship. When you have friends who only stick around because of what they can gain from you, you get hurt. I am sure that is how God feels too but Grace makes him forget that we were selfish. We take his grace for granted and feel we can do anything because at the end, Grace would be there and forgiveness comes easily from heaven. We need to appreciate God always. You don’t have to be in a terrible situation to remember God exists. If you have God in your mouth and the world in your heart, you are a hypocrite. Appreciate him always, in good and in bad times. Extend your appreciation to every human and everything in your life. “You never know what you have till you lose it”, this sounds cliché but it is the truth. If you have ever stayed with people you are not related to in this life and you were maltreated, you would cherish your family. You would understand that they were created especially for you because God does not want you to be lonely and depressed. Appreciate that father who scolds you, appreciate that mother who cares too much, appreciate the sisters who tease you a lot and appreciate the brothers who irritate you a lot. Don’t wait to be in a bad situation before you know their value. If you have good friends, appreciate them, don’t fall back on them only when you need their shoulders to lean on. Don’t make them a second option. Most people have friends but have no true friend. This happens because they get lost in the crowd and lose the person who truly cares. Appreciate your life, appreciate your health, appreciate the air you breathe, appreciate the sun, appreciate the rain, appreciate animals, and appreciate everything. Don’t wait for terrible circumstances to remind you to be grateful. WITH LOVE, CHIOMA OLAMIDE UDOM.