How easily we forget that we live in relative luxury. This isn’t to diminish anyone’s problems or daily challenges, but rather to serve as a reminder of how much we take for granted – often only realising its value once it’s taken away.
A Powerful Reminder from a Hospital Garden
A TikToker I follow, Ruth, lives with life-limiting chronic illnesses. Today, she was able to go outside into her hospital garden and enjoy some fresh air for the first time in weeks.
She had been isolated in her room for most of that time, and her excitement at feeling the fresh air on her face made me realise just how much the little things matter—and how often we overlook them.
The Essentials We Take for Granted
Freedom, fresh air, hot running water, central heating, well-stocked supermarkets, medicines, access to healthcare – the list is endless.
The Value of Stability in a Time of Global Unrest
I’m able to write this because I live in the UK. If I lived in the US, I imagine I would feel more afraid about the current political climate under the Trump administration. I’d likely feel angry too, and deeply unsettled by the uncertainty.
When Gratitude Isn’t Enough
Of course, there are times when being reminded of what we have in the First World simply doesn’t help – especially when you’re fighting for your survival or your sanity. In moments like those, access to food or fresh air can feel irrelevant.
A Renewed Appreciation for What We Still Have
Still, for many of us living in the UK, recent global events may have sparked a renewed appreciation for the relative stability we enjoy – a government operating in peacetime, where diplomacy still holds meaning, where leaders are held to account, and where power can be removed when it crosses moral, ethical, or legal lines.
The Spiral of Negativity in the News Cycle
It’s easy to spiral into negativity when you spend too long consuming content about the state of the US and the damage inflicted on its people and its global standing in just 100 days. It can feel like the world is regressing—back to a time when human rights were optional and those in power acted with impunity.
When Spectacle Replaces Substance
On the day Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the Pope—shortly after the real Pope’s death—it was hard not to feel outraged by his blatant disregard for basic decency, decorum, and empathy, and his relentless drive for self-glorification.
It forces us to question not only the judgment behind such an act but also the cultural climate that enables it – and the broader consequences for truth, respect and public discourse.
From Gratitude to Critique – and Back Again
The writing of this post makes an important point. What began as a reflection on gratitude and the comfort of living under a stable government quickly shifted into a critique of Trump’s actions.
Finding Peace in the Small Things
How easily we slip into the negative – and how quickly it accelerates. In times like these, we need to pull ourselves back and focus on the quiet comforts: daily kindnesses, functioning institutions, and the small joys that still surround us.
These aren’t just distractions from global uncertainty; they are reminders of what is still good, what’s worth protecting, and what we must not take for granted.
