by Kim Jackson of A friend sent this to me last week, and I thought it would be good for a little Thursday morning perspective. While these are extreme examples, they serve as good reminders. The emotional, mental and physical trials we face are certainly real for us, and we must endure them to learn and to become stronger; and often it is difficult to see good in our lives while we’re in the midst of our troubles. These little notes serve as reminders that it could always be worse. We have to be thankful for the good that prevails in our lives, even when there are areas that we would like to see improved.
Wishing you a peaceful, productive weekend filled with gratitude for what is, as opposed to despair over what could be.
thanks,i needed that, i am currently going through a very difficult time right now with my first born baby girl in the NICU, she was born at 23wks and 3 days, and everyday is a roller-coaster for me, it helps to remember all the things that are going right, when it seems like everything else is going wrong!!!! i can feed myself, i have beautiful shelter, and i am safe, and i have no debt, and a reliable source of income. my baby is also doing well considering how premature she is, she exceeds every expectation her nurses have of her and she is very strong, i accidentally over her a doc talking to parents of another nicu baby, and what i heard caused my heart to skip a beat and sent chilled down my spine, another moment in which i had to be grateful for my situation, though unfortunate, it could be far worse!!!
I love it! Completely apropos. Everyone needs to remain grounded and aware of our past, present and future and deeply connected to our brothers and sisters all around this globe. We're all we have and if we forget about the suffering of others while immersed in our own, we're truly lost.
I too do not think that this is extreme as I often need to reflect on how blessee my life is, even if it's not going exactly as I want it at the moment. As an "urban" public school teacher on my way back to another exciting school year, I can truly appreciate the frankness and honesty of these words. My kids come from all walks of life, including "refugee" camps in places most of us have never heard of. God is great and when more people realize that, their lives will be much fuller and gratifying!
Thank you for this little reminder. It's easy to forget how blessed I am and how grateful I should be. I spend way too much time wishing for more this, better that, bigger this, smaller that instead of being thankful for everything-even the imperfections. Thanks again. I needed this. Venita
I love this post! While this may seem extreme for some, for a lot of us it's not. I'm not ashamed of where I come from because it has a lot to do with the person that I am today. I have even come to know others that remember the times of going to sleep hungry and waking up hungry and ready to go to school because that was the only meal you would have that day. I never take what some refer to as the little things for granted. This post has a lot that ppl needed to be reminded about – esp when they are crying over not being able to "buy out the bar."