Why do some refer to life as a gift?

I think we have a choice in how we respond to what God has given us.

Imagine nothingness. Blackness. Complete lack of awareness. Complete lack of "being there".

And then suddenly light explodes into your new world...you are given eyes to see beauty...a nose to smell bread baking, and rose petals and the rain...ears to hear the songs of birds and the roar of the ocean, the keening of the wind...you are given a voice so that you can sing and praise God and tell others your wonderful truths...you are given hands so that you may work, and create, and take care of other people...feet so that you can run in the green grass. You might be given love...love for a man...love for other people, love for God...which explodes at times into the light of life...and you might be given a child...whom you love more than your OWN life.

THAT is the gift.

Along the way, because we live in a savage world, among people who are also sometimes savage, we might be given lessons by God...lessons that will mold us and shape us and create from the clay that we ARE...a more refined beauty. A MATURE beauty of the soul.

We can CHOOSE how we respond to those lessons...we can GROW from them...and become more beautiful...or we can shrivel up and become bitter and stunted and refuse to become MORE...held back by our own negative attitudes.

You have the ability to choose how you view life. Life has its ups and downs. Struggles help you develop strength. You can learn how to cope with stress. Find ways to be happy. Everyone struggles. Part of life. I understand the gift of a breath and of life. I was an RN for 28 years. I saw life and death. Now I work with people in another career. If you never see or learn the value of life, I feel sorry for you. You can help others who need help. That is another way to be grateful for the gift of life. Lots of ways to learn. Find one or more. Be grateful to be alive. Many who died would still like that gift.

If you think about it with a different point of view, you will realize it is a gift. Write out all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for. Not material things.

For example, I have a job, I am healthy, I live in a good country, I have a wonderful family, all of my kids are healthy, I do not have addiction issues, I have worked since I was 14 and gained excellent skills from a very young age, I have a roof over my head and I put food on the table every day. I could go on but you get the point.

Those are all gifts.

Stress can actually be very good for you. I read a book called The Upside of Stress. It’s good.

Everyone has problems, and we all can look at them as though they are just life‘s challenges that teach us lessons on how to better ourselves.

the gift of life is that you get to experience it and all the good things it brings. I don’t think it’s that bad to have a roof over your head, food to eat, and internet to go on this website. There are people who barely eat and they have to slave all day.

While it’s not the best life for you or me, at least we get to experience things like the taste of delicious food or what romance is. Some people are really in the gutters, and the worst part is that they don’t even realize it. Then you have people like Russian men who were forced to go to war and end up dead.

We have choices and opportunities. It’s not that bad. You want to be rich? Work for it.

Because we are aware that it could be worse.

Yes. I might have my mental struggles that makes life tough at times. But I have love in my life. I have a safe warm home. I have people I can turn to. I have beautiful nature surrounding me. I have medicine that helps me. I have therapy that helps me. I have beautiful experiences and memories, I have things to look forward to and people who makes me smile whether it's online or irl stranger or close friend.

I have more reasons to enjoy life than to damn it.

Nah. I wouldn't call myself fortunate in many aspects. But I can simply look at the sunrise or go hiking over a mountain and feel that this is a gift.

Personally, I’m looking forward to it being over. I’m not going to end it, but if it wants to end on its own that’s ok.

this is so sad to me

When you have to fight for your life due to a medical condition you will understand the true meaning of that phrase. We shouldn’t take it for granted.

Life is change. The more life, the more change.

Understanding this is important. Because the vast majority refuse to change.

Everything negative you mentioned is a direct result of that refusal.

Everyone must change, in all ways.

It's literally just being alive and all that brings or can bring to people. It should be better for lots people though.

I like to think of this as hell on earth. We go through all our hardships here on earth and when we die, there will be no purgatory. We'll go straight to heaven.

Look forward - not backward....seems silly but this is actually something...