Recently, I’ve tried being more grateful for the things I already have.

But I’m not going to lie. It’s hard to be grateful for what’s in front of you when the whole world is already at your fingertips.

With social media, Amazon, and vacations just a click away, it’s difficult to give thanks when you know there’s so much more out there.

That was until I heard a parable that made me tie it all together.

There was once a man wandering through the desert, begging the heavens for water. His throat was parched, his skin was sunburnt, and his legs were exhausted. And right before he was about to give up, he stumbled across a rusty old pump outside a long-abandoned shack. Next to it sat a small, sealed bottle of water with a note attached:

“Use this water to prime the pump. Do not drink it. Once you’re done, refill the bottle for the next traveler.”

Now this pump was old. This thing was so old it looked like it should’ve been asking the guy for water instead.

And so there was a risk.

The logical choice is to chug the bottle right there. Or, should you be grateful for what little bit you’ve been given and put that blessing towards getting something better?

And I’ve found out that’s how gratitude works in a sense. The Universe, God, Zeus, whoever and whatever you believe in, why should they give you more if you can’t seem to thank them for what you have now?

We tend to treat gratitude like it’s something you express after everything goes right. After you get that job. After you get in that healthy relationship. After your dreams come true.

But the most true form of gratitude is upstream of those things. It’s the pump. The primer.

It’s when you’re willing to say, “What I have is enough, and because it’s enough, I’ll take care of it. And in return, life will trust me with more.”

I’m not saying you have to pretend everything you have is perfect. Life is all about improving your life. But you should at least recognize what’s already good. Even if it is just one bottle of water.

Just remember all it takes is one bottle to open up a whole stream.

Stay grateful,
Isaiah

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m now rereading David Goggins book Can’t Hurt Me. A classic biography on one of the most disciplined individuals on the planet.

Quote Of The Week - “Start before you’re ready. If you wait, you’ll be waiting forever.” — Mel Robbins