A few days ago, I posted about a this site. At that time, I discussed ambition, the first value they listed. For some reason, I've been unable to get the site out of my thoughts. Usually when something like that happens, I reflect, research and move on. This time, I'm going to work through the values in posts on my web space. I found my thoughts on ambition to be a bit surprising, so I'm wondering what other surprises, I'll find with the rest of the list. I'll start each post with how the dictionary defines the word representing the value and work from there.

The dictionary defines appreciation as:

–noun
1. gratitude; thankful recognition: They showed their appreciation by giving him a gold watch.
2. the act of estimating the qualities of things and giving them their proper value.
3. clear perception or recognition, esp. of aesthetic quality: a course in art appreciation.
4. an increase or rise in the value of property, goods, etc.
5. critical notice; evaluation; opinion, as of a situation, person, etc.
6. a critique or written evaluation, esp. when favorable.

For my purposes, I'm using #2. We estimate and give things their proper value everyday. Or, do we? Do we really appreciate what we have? I've admitted to the problem of always wanting more. It's not that I want more things, though sometimes I do. It's more of wanting more of the good things I have. I have have healthy, active, intelligent children, but I want well-behaved, boring children. I have a fabulous job, but I want excitement, activity, to make a difference. I have wonderful friends all over the world, but I want more friends here. I have time to read, play video games, explore my hobbies, but I want more time and freedom to do everything I want to do. Reflecting on appreciation this weekend has brought some understanding on my own spoiled, selfish ways. I need to value more the moments with my children, who are as imperfect as I am. I need to appreciate the time and freedoms I do have, as opposed to what I want. Most of all, I need to value more the people in my life that care about me. I take so much for granted. I need to spend more time taking stock, estimating quality and assigning the proper value to my life. In many ways, I'm a very lucky woman. I have the time to enjoy a sunset, to watch the snow fall, to hug my children and my friends.

What am I passing along to my children? I'm hoping that even though I've not been a shining example of appreciation of what I have, that they're learning to appreciate what they have. Like most children, they have a love affair with the idiot box. They see all sorts of commercials for everything under the sun. And, they want it all. I try to remind them that they have more than most. Be it toys, games, freedoms, they have more than most people in the world. They have the bare necessities and much, much more. And, above all, they have love. They have my love and their love for each other. The love in our lives makes us the luckiest of all.