Taken for Granted

While heading out to Saskatchewan with my sister, she made the comment as we were driving through Northern Ontario and following along Lake Superior that she was going to miss the Canadian Shield we have in Ontario, and that the prairies will be boring compared to this. The comment reminded me of how much we take advantage of the things that are around us and in our lives every day. And until we no longer have them or see them do we truly appreciate what it means to us.

The drive was long, but it was utterly beautiful (I even appreciated the beauty of flat land and how you could see for miles ahead of you! - my sister also enjoyed the fact that you could pass on a curve because it was so flat!! - in the prairies of course). However, I enjoyed my time as a passenger more, since I actually got to sit and watch the scenery and God's beautiful creations pass me by. I didn't quite get that chance when I was driving since I had to concentrate on the road!

On the second day of driving, we were jammin' to some tunes and my sis put in her "Savage Garden" CD (old school much?!) and the very first song talked about how you don't know what you have until you don't have it anymore.

It goes like this:

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone

I believe in karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

Now, my sister's comment as this song was playing was that what they are saying is exactly what she lives by. I just read a bunch of the other lyrics, and I'm not sure about ALL of the lyrics, but many of them are applicable.

I'm going to miss my sister, a lot. I'm going to miss the home made dinners that are waiting for me when I return from class late at night. I'm going to miss rocking out to the backstreet boys on a rainy day. I'm going to miss watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy with her each weeknight.

Luckily, thanks to the wonderful world of technology (and Skype) I don't have to miss her too much. But it was a great last "hurrah" for us as we drove out together and spent that quality time hanging out before going our separate ways. She's gone now for 3-4 years (yes, she'll come home to visit for periods at a time) and by the time she gets back, who knows what will happen in those 3-4 years and where life will lead the both of us.