Monday, March 1, 2010

Counting our blessings

Well, I don't want to sound too much like Pollyanna, but I am counting my blessings. There are many things going on right now that are very difficult, sad, and scary. Haiti struggles to recover. Chile is still shaking with aftershocks. The "haves" in all corners of the world have way more than their share, and the "have nots" don't have enough. And compared to many, I am one of the "haves." I have a warm house, plenty of food, the mobility to get around easily, and along with many other things, I also have computer to reach out into the world to connect with family and friends, to learn and to see what's going on.

My husband very recently went through a health crisis that came out of nowhere for us. And the blessing is that medical intervention was available for us. He is recovering and doing well. These kinds of experiences make us look at our lives differently and ask questions like - What is really important in our lives? What do we value? Where do we put our time and energy?

I am aware even with the title to this blog entry that many people have very few blessings to count. This is not fair. It is what it is, but I am recommitting as I write this to be sure to work at just taking "enough". Sometimes children are the ones who teach us to care for others. And we also need to model for them. Because what we actually do and how we actually spend our time says a lot about what is really important to us.

So just for today, even as I do the work that I must do, I am also going to show my love and respect to my family and friends. I am going to do at least a few things to take care of myself. I'm going to plan healthy meals for us. I'm going to get some exercise. I'm going to tell people I love them. And I'm going to take time to play. I'm going to enjoy the bright green buds that are coming out everywhere, a sign that spring is in the air and we will soon be blanketed with wildflowers. Blessings to you all!

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