Friday, September 12, 2008

I am blessed

I will admit that I was in a bit of a mood earlier today for absolutely no good reason. My mood turned out to be nothing that a day of no work, having Indian food for lunch, and a pedicure couldn't cure.

As I am sitting around our new house waiting on MM to get home, I started thinking how very blessed I am. I spend a lot of time thinking/kvetching about things I don't have or that haven't gone my way, but spend very little time thinking about the ways in which I am extremely fortunate. Many of the good things in my life have come to me at least in part through my own efforts: my job, our new house and furniture, Sebastian, even--to some degree--my friends. But some of the good things I have in my life can only be described as gifts; they came to me through no effort on my part.

A few examples:

**I have always had the base of a happy childhood because I grew up in a home with parents who loved and cared for me and didn't abuse or neglect me. Not once in my childhood did I ever go to sleep cold, hungry, or afraid. I always had a comfortable and safe house in which to live, clothes to wear, food to eat, and the knowledge that I was loved. That fact alone sets me apart from many people I know.

**My father's mother lived with us from the time I was 1 until I was 17. In addition to being a loving and positive force in my life, she was a woman of deep faith who had lived most of her life during a very different time. . . almost in a different world. I can't even begin to explain the ways in which she shaped my growth; I still think of her almost every day, and she's been gone for nearly 20 years.

**I have a sister who is now one of my closest friends. I didn't always value her presence in my life when we were children, and like many children, wished at times that I could have been the only one. I certainly have appreciated my sister since we have been grown. (I hope I've shown her this enough!)

**Learning always came easily to me; as a result, school was always more of a joy than a chore. My love of school is what allowed me to go back and pursue my second career at age 30. . . a career that has brought me much more intellectual fulfillment and greater earnings.

**I was born in the United States. When I stop and think about the rights and privileges that are mine solely as a result of this happy accident, I am humbled. As much as I (& many of my friends) complain about what is wrong with this country, I can think of only a handful of others in which I would be willing to live my life.

**I am healthy. Yes, I now have high cholesterol and have always struggled with my weight. I will probably continue to struggle with both for the rest of my life. But I wake up nearly every morning feeling good, with no pain, and my body has been able to do just about everything I've demanded of it so far.

Yes, I have done what I can to make "the right choices" in my life. . . but many of the things that are probably most responsible for my happiness are things that I didn't--couldn't--choose at all.

2 comments:

Jessica Mclain said...

It is so good to think and be happy about the good things in life. You are blessed, and we are all blessed to know you. Well kinda know you, I mean this is a blog.

Land family said...

Good for you for taking time to reflect on the good things. Moving can really make you fixate on a lot of negativity! :)