Meditations on God

We all want to be appreciated. 

Some of us want or need this more than others. 

But, we all hope that who we are and what we do means something, that our lives matter, and that our efforts make a difference in the world.

We want to know that our life is not all for nothing, that we are noticed, and that our work is making an impact. 

A problem arises, however, when we appreciation becomes our reason for being and our reason for doing whatever it is that we do. 

When this is the case, we begin chasing appreciation. 

If we do not receive it, we are not happy. 

When we do receive it, we feel good, but only for as long as it lasts. 

Then, when the appreciation inevitably subsides, we feel lost, angry, and frightened, and begin chasing it again. 

While being appreciated feels good and may even be necessary for our psycho-emotional well-being, it cannot be our sole reason for being. 

Appreciation is a byproduct not a purpose. 

It is the result of good character, good deeds, and healthy relationships. 

We cannot create a life worth appreciating by trying to be appreciated. 

We must, instead, focus on our quality of being. 

This will inevitably spill over into the quality of our relationships. 

Eventually, we will find that, the more we are appreciated for the right reasons by the right people, the less it actually matters after all.