Growing up, fast food was a rare treat for me. I remember how my family could only afford to eat at McDonald’s or KFC once a year, when my dad got his annual bonus. It was always a special occasion, and we would order the biggest meals and enjoy every bite. I loved the crispy chicken, the fries, the burgers, and the ice cream. It felt like heaven.
In fact, I also don’t remember having much of birthday celebrations. We didn’t have cakes or candles or balloons. We just had a simple dinner at home, and maybe a small gift from my parents. Sometimes, they would sing me a song or tell me a story. I was happy with that. I didn’t need anything fancy or expensive to feel loved.
But those were the past, and now we live in the present. Things have changed a lot since then. We can eat fast food whenever we want, and we can celebrate our birthdays in any way we like. We can buy whatever we need and want. But the more important part is the fact that we can spend more time together over a nice meal or cake.
But do we really need and want all these things? Sometimes, I wonder if we have lost something along the way. Something that made us appreciate the simple joys of life. Something that made us grateful for what we had. Something that made us happy.
That’s why I always try to remember my childhood days. I don’t want to forget where I came from and how far I have come. I don’t want to take anything for granted and waste what I have. I want to be thankful for every opportunity and every blessing that comes my way.
I think that’s the best way to live. To always appreciate what we have now, and to be blessed of what we have become. To enjoy the present, but not forget the past. To have more, but not lose less.