Every day our dishwasher gets loaded up. My husband would tell you that my dishes sit on the counter directly above the dishwasher for a transitional period of time that is unpredictable and unexplainable. But my dishes do eventually end up inside.

I actually like filling the dishwasher, it’s kind of magical to open up its door and put the pile of dirty dishes in, close it, and have a cleaner-looking kitchen within seconds. It’s the unloading of the dishes that I’m less fond of. I’ve even caught myself grumbling about it.

I have similar complaints about the laundry. I love throwing the dirty clothes in the hamper, and even the washing and drying of them has a certain allure. But the constant folding and putting away of the clothes is the part I’m less enthusiastic about. That is until I remember how lucky I am to have those appliances at all.

When I first moved out on my own in my late teens, I rented an apartment, but there wasn’t a dishwasher, a washer or a dryer. I used to let the dishes pile up in the sink longer than I should, and I would wait until I was down to my last set of socks before finally going to the laundromat. But that’s just the way it was. I remember thinking back then that one day I’d be able to afford some appliances and I’d be so grateful.

When it finally happened, I was indeed grateful … initially. And then I started taking it for granted – just like so many other modern conveniences we, as a society, often take for granted once we get used to them.

We might complain about poor cellular reception, slow Internet connections, the price of gas, airport delays, lineups at the grocery store and a multitude of other frustrations. But the convenience of having any of these things would have been a miracle for the generations before us.

Even today it would still be considered miraculous to the millions of people living in this world without running water, enough food, electricity or decent living conditions. It’s all relative.

It’s easy to lose perspective when our lives get busy and we’re faced with challenges. But it can easily be regained when we count our blessings and actually write them down or say them out loud.

My dad used to say that life is as hard as you decide to make it. I didn’t know what he meant when I was younger, but I understand now. Being grateful for what we have and rolling with the punches are both key to a happy life. Grumbling about household chores and the things that go wrong aren’t.

Lori Welbourne is a syndicated columnist. You can contact her at www.onabrighternote.ca.