Appreciate this

"What do I appreciate about myself? Now that's a tough one."

"Why?"

“Well, as I have said before, I have many vices and only one virtue."

"Don't remember you ever saying that."

"No? Well... maybe I just thought it then."

"What is it?"

This story is a work of fiction. None of the characters mentioned are real, apart from the author. The conversation did not take place, even though the sentiment is genuine, as is the conclusion. I thought it would be a nice way to present my list of ten (real) things I appreciate about myself. It also fits the theme of the Humans community.

"What's what?"

"Your one virtue."

"Oh, that... Well... patience."

"Patience? How can you say that after yelling at that driver who got in your way the other day."

"Ha, ha, yes, that was a bit... intemperate, wasn't it?"

"Yeah... just a bit."

"Well, patient I may be, a saint I am not."

One: Patience

"Well... we can agree on that. And in any case, they are not asking you to list your virtues, just say what you appreciate about yourself."

"I guess."

"What about work?"

"What about it?"

"Well, I have never known you to be out of work."

"That's true enough. There was a time when I was out of work for a few weeks, looking for a new job. Other times, if there was a gap, I'd fill it with something..."

"Like that rubbish thing you did?"

"Yeah, when I was clearing gardens and taking the waste away. Kept me going for a few months before I started that Managing Director role...

Two: Work

"... and not just doing the work. It's being grounded in work. It's my anchor. I have always thought of myself as a worker. Mum talked about being working class as if it was a kind of badge of honour. I don't talk about it, but I do still carry that badge with me, even though I don't wear it. It's always been how I see myself, despite my sometimes 'middle-class' habits."

Three: Being working class

"Well, that's three already."

"Ha! Yes... leaving the virtue out of it does make it easier."

"So what else?"

"People say I am a good listener. I don't think I am. I just don't have the attention span. But I suppose if someone needs a listening ear, it's the listening that counts, not the remembering."

Four: A good listener

"What about the things you do?"

"What, like my writing? Yes, that's important to me, too. I could wish I had more readers, though. I checked on Amazon the other day and the total number of books I have sold is 120."

Five: I am a writer

"120's not bad..."

"That's 120 in total, in 8 years of publishing. An average of 24 sales per book and the latest, my poor attempt at publishing a book of poetry, has sold just three copies. Funny thing is, the piece of writing I liked the most had even fewer readers than that. My 2018 master's dissertation: Law and Property Rights in Outer Space."

"Half way there already!"

"Yeah, and I am so glad I no longer work. Gives me more time to write, more time to see friends and go places. I like the odd jobs I do. Brings in some money, gets me out and about, and gives me a focus. If they offer me something, I can take it or leave it."

Six: No longer tied to the job

"Anything you miss about your job in government?"

"No, not really. I guess I miss the people... well some of them, anyway. And I did like the time I was a 'use of force' instructor in the prison. Although that makes it sound like I was some kind of thug. But the way we taught it, the skill was much more about de-escalation than using force. Getting 'hands on' was always very much a last resort. It was a bit like karate, where the more you know, the less inclined you are to use it .

Seven: Karate

"I hope you didn't ever use karate in the prison."

"As a matter of fact, I used karate every day in prison."

"Really?"

"Yes. Karate begins and ends with courtesy. A bit of courtesy and respect goes a long way in prison. And that, my dear, leaves me just three to go. You have been a real help. Now... let me see...

Eight: Art and music

Nine: Family, the most important thing to me."

"And ten?"

"Oh, that's easy. I wrote that first...

...Ten is you."

"Me? How can it be me, you are supposed to be appreciating you."

"It's you, because I would have nothing to appreciate if it wasn’t for you. You complete me."