This is what we have been doing all our lives.
We don’t value what we have or realise how precious it is until one day we miss it—when it is no longer within our sight.
The present society has defined life in such a way that everybody is rushing, competing, and chasing dreams.
And in that rush, while competing and running after our dreams, we ignore what we already have.
Until one day, we realise that somewhere along the way, we left behind a precious person—a friend, a family member, someone we loved.
Sometimes we ignore them.
Sometimes we don’t value them.
Sometimes we simply don’t notice or acknowledge them.
We get busy. We tease them. We bully them. We yell at them. We shout at the very people who are so valuable to us.
And the surprising fact is, some of us may never even realise how valuable that person was.
We just keep moving with the flow until the very end of our lives.
There are so many examples.
It could be your brother or sister.
You might be busy with your work, busy enjoying time with your friends, but you don’t have time to spend with your sister.
You are a world to her.
She waits for you to share her things. She cleans the house, cooks for you, does the laundry, and waits for you.
But you are so busy and ignorant that as soon as you reach home, you go inside and lock the door.
And when she comes close to you, you shout at her.
It could be your partner as well.
She might have had a hard day at work. People might have been teasing her, ignoring her, or giving her more work than she could handle.
She might not be able to say no. She might not be able to speak up.
Maybe she had an argument with a colleague. Maybe she is simply tired or hungry.
When she gets home, she wants to share everything with you.
But you shut her down.
You tell her, “Leave your work at work.”
Saying that is easy for you, but she might not be able to handle everything she is carrying inside.
The things she keeps inside start to pile up.
And when they finally come out, they can become something much bigger than you ever expected.
She might lose trust in the world.
She might become tired of living a life where she feels that nobody values her.
And you know what?
Things can get very complicated.
Relationships can break without mutual understanding, without communication, and without either person truly understanding what went wrong.
You may move on with someone else.
But she might still be stuck with everything she was carrying inside.
And the realisation may come one day.
Or it may never come.
The same goes for our parents.
These are just a few examples.
Ignoring our loved ones, our friends, and our family—and failing to value, understand, or acknowledge what they are going through—can change someone’s life in ways we may never know.
We may not realise what we have lost until we move on.
And sometimes, we realise it only when everything is already on the wrong side.
There is a song that says, “Only know you love her when you let her go.”
And maybe there is a reason those words feel so true.
What is the point of realising, missing, and regretting later when we could have valued, respected, and understood them while they were still with us?
So, treasure them while they are with you.
Love them with all your heart.
Listen to them.
Understand them.
Give them the happiness they deserve.
Because one day, the person you keep ignoring may become the person you would give anything to have back.