Do we only value those that came into our lives with lot of efforts?

Yes and No.

We are conditioned to value only those things and people in our lives when we get them after a lot of efforts or if it is what we have always dreamt about and once we achieved it that is when we think it is precious and important.

We value only those things which “we” think/perceive as valuable. If we get something easily and is available then automatically our mind is conditioned to believe that this is not valuable. We are conditioned to believe in scarcity creates demand and importance. So, if it is easily available, it is not valuable but if it is scarce then it is highly valuable. This is how we function, for example, gold and diamonds are precious but not trees, environment and planet because they are in abundance. 

I fully understand now why our elders asked us to treat everything and everyone as important.

Because as we grow up, we only treat such things as important if we have worked hard for them. And if we didn’t,  we don’t perceive it as important.

Our elders and ancestors knew this way long back and they were way ahead of us so they decided that by inculcating a habit that everything is important, we will treat everything as important and respect everything for example earth, water, environment, animals etc, we respect everything and protect everything irrespective of the fact that you worked hard for it or not.

Whether or not such things are in abundance or not. 

So the bottom line is, if something is good for you, just believe that you have to protect it whether or not it came to you easily because not everyone will be as blessed as you when you received such things.

Efforts don’t define value. You do. Don’t lose something good in life just because it was effortless.