There are many things we take for granted. Whether we realize it or not we have more opportunities, shelter, food, water, some of which people see as an impossibility. Sometimes we take our friends and family for granted and this can harm our view of the world. In this essay, I’m gonna be focusing on the family aspect of appreciation and using the short story “Nothing Extraordinary” by Jennifer Kim to see the impact of taking a step back and thinking about what we have and how lucky we are to have it.
When it comes to our parents we tend to block out the good and focus on the discipline and the fights. We need to learn to appreciate our friends and family and understand that they are people too and they deserve respect.
In “NothingExtraordinary” by Jenifer Kim she is speaking out about the things she experienced as a child and how it formed her adoration for her mother and made her realize how much she takes for granted. In paragraphs 8-9 she talks about being in a high-class neighborhood and how she felt ashamed of her plain-looking mother, “We were in a high-class neighborhood, but as I scrutinized the passers-by and then turned accusing eyes on Mom… She wore cheap, ragged clothes with the seams torn, shoes with the soles worn down. Her eyes were tired from working long hours to make ends meet and her hair too gray for her age.”
If our parents can provide us with what we need (food, water, shelter) then we should appreciate them. Just because she looks tired and normal by most standards doesn’t mean she is less respectable in a high-class area. Having someone to care for you is more than enough and the outside isn’t what matters, it’s the care and love that’s inside of their hearts that make the most impact.
When we take the time to focus on other’s positive attributes and what they have we can grow resentment towards the people we care about and forget about everything they do for us. In paragraph 6 Jennifer looks around and sees all the classy citizens and feels embarrassed of her mother for standing out in such an expensive crowd. “Ladies wore five-inch heels that clicked importantly on the floor and bright, elaborate clothing. Men strode by smelling of sharp cologne, faces clear of wrinkles — wiped away with expensive creams…I was ashamed of my mother.”
When comparing yourself to others and your situation you might forget about everything you do have and take people, who provide for you, for granted. Jenifer Kim sees all these people who look high-class while her mother was so plain and so normal and feels ashamed and embarrassed of her mother.
When we don’t take the time to appreciate and think about what others have done for us we are neglecting how important our people are, whether it’s friends, family, or your neighbor. In paragraph 20 Jennifer finds her mom in an expensive store looking for clothes for her and realizes why her mom is so “basic” and minimalistic, “Her clothes were tattered and old because she spent her money buying me new ones. She looked so tired and ragged all the time because she was busy working to provide for me. She didn’t wear jewelry or scented perfumes because she was just content with me.”
Sometimes you just have to take a step back and appreciate everything around you. There’s more to be grateful for than you realize and not acknowledging those things can make you neglect the ones you love.
In the end, it’s how you treat others and taking the things you have, and being grateful for them that matters. To appreciate what you have you need to take a step back and realize everything you have is something to be grateful for, your bed, your friends, your phone. Don’t take what you have for granted, it’s more than what’s on the outside that matters and in the end, you’ll be a lot more content with what you have if you appreciate what you’ve got.