Although I have no desire to see The Revenant, I love that Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his Oscar and I loved the last sentence of his acceptance speech:

“I do not take tonight for granted.”

It got me thinking about how easy it is to take things for granted. To feel entitled. To long and hope for things that somehow become quickly eclipsed by the next thing. It got me thinking about all the things I have right here and now that I shouldn’t take for granted.

In particular, friendships.

As an introvert who has moved around more than I ever planned to the past ten years, it has been challenging to make new friends––the kind of friends you can call up spur of the moment to have dinner; the kind of friends you can turn to in times of emotional crisis; the kind of friends you can laugh with hysterically about the strangest, most mundane things.

I love meeting new people, but it takes me time to develop those inner circle type of friendships. Especially since I enjoy my alone time and don’t always make socializing a priority. I get tired having to start over again and again.

Well, today was a random day off from work. (Yay for midweek Korean holidays!) I didn’t have any plans and figured I would just veg all day, which honestly, I really enjoy doing sometimes. But then someone called and invited me to dinner and a movie.

As usual, I had to take a few minutes to consider it. Did I really want to take a shower? See an animated movie? Leave the warm cocoon of my room?

But being out with my two friends made me so happy.

Not because we were out. Not because of anything in particular that we were doing. (Though I was pleasantly surprised by the movie as well. Zootopia. Super cute and funny.) It was the simple realization that I had those people in my life. Those inner circle people who felt comfortable contacting  me at the last minute, who I felt comfortable laughing uproariously with. I was beaming from ear to ear even before we stepped into the theater.

So like Leo, I have to say, I do not take tonight for granted. And I don’t want to ever take any night for granted. Because whatever things we have yet to acquire or accomplish, there are always treasures sitting right in our hands, if we would only recognize them.

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