Tea Musings| Regret is Stronger Than Gratitude

Scrolling through my facebook timeline this morning while sipping a cup of Twining tea flavored with chamomile and spearmints (I needed to relax after the crazy morning traffic drama) I came across this picture quote from Anne Frank.

It struck a cord deep within me and I pondered on the sad state of affairs in today’s world. Ask a typical Nigerian guy to send flowers to his girl, mom, sisters or friend and you will receive shocked/incredulous looks with these typical exclamations…… “AH! Today is not her birthday”…… “AH! Grow up this is not a movie” or “for what”. Some really morbid guys will even ask you in mock tones ‘she don die?”

Ask a typical Nigerian girl, if she bought a gift or token of appreciation for the men in her life, be it lover, father or friend and you will get the female version of the above.

We are all so wrapped up in protecting our feelings, and fearful of been tagged a ‘softie’, “mumu”, “mugu’ or “June guy”, that we have equated gratitude and appreciation as a foolhardy exercise.

This attitude spills over to the business end of our lives, as both boss and employee are in a race to see who undervalues or underappreciate each other the most.  A simple thank you, to show gratitude for work done, help, encouragement, or friendship is now said in tones that offends instead of pleasing.

Yet, let a man dies and you will see everyone gnashing their teeth in pain, filled with regret for all the times they never express gratitude for having that dead one in their lives.
If you could wear your hearts on your sleeves for a moment and take a hard look at your life, what would you see? A life populated by undervalued and unappreciated people or a life full of people who you truly appreciate and who are aware, they are appreciated.
Final words: Choose to live a great life of gratitude than a pain-filled life of regret, so as to always function from a place of joy instead of bitterness.