THE CONTRAST NECESSARY IN GENUINE APPRECIATION

"you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." why is it that we need to lose something to appreciate it? and can we ever truly appreciate that which we have not been without?

what i'm discussing here are not materialistic items. what i'm talking about are things like support, connection, kindness.

if you've always felt supported, do you really appreciate your friends when they support your work? your games? or is it something that's a given and you don't actually notice their support?

if every time you've asked for help, it's been answered with a willingness to assist, can you truly appreciate what you're being offered?

if you've never had your heartbroken, can you ever really appreciate the love you're experiencing?

i find myself being overwhelmed at times with a sense of gratitude towards others in my life. whether it's the friends that support me in my ventures, partners that sit with me in my darkness, or individuals that attend my games. and i find myself being grateful because i know what it feels like to be without. to feel unsupported. to feel rejected. to be alone. to stare into crowds not recognising a familiar face. and those feelings of hurt and pain are what allow me to truly appreciate and experience the joy and gratitude that i do.

if someone has never known darkness, the dull light of a candle will go unnoticed. but for someone who has only known darkness, that candle will be the brightest light they have ever seen. and it's within pain and suffering that the most beautiful of souls have emerged. the souls with an appreciation not just for life, but for others as well. and it's these individuals in which i choose to associate.