A Day of Thanks

I spent Thanksgiving day with my family. Today my heart is very full. And though I really try to live each day with a gracious heart (and some days it's teeth-grindingly difficult), today I made sure to take special note of all the things that make my life so wonderful.

No, I didn't win the lottery this year. But I am able to pay my bills while living a moderately fabulous life. And no, I didn't meet the man of my dreams (dry humor... ha. ha. ha.), but I have an even more focused image of what Mr. Perfect will look like (or, perhaps more importantly, what he WON'T look like). And even though I spend most days grumbling about my totally whacked-up workplace, I do have a permanent full time job, and it came at an amazingly opportune time.

A lot has happened since last Thanksgiving... Some good, some bad, happy, sad, normal, strange, and downright ridiculous. It's certainly been a crazy ride, and some days I wasn't sure how my sanity was going to last until the next day. But I have the most amazing family and friends, and each special person in my life has helped to pull me through some especially difficult days. I made sure to be thankful for something every day, even if the only thing I could find to be thankful for was that the day was over.

Gratitude can totally change your outlook on life. It will pull you through less-than-perfect days and give you hope for a brighter tomorrow. Gratitude will help you truly appreciate what you have. It will help you distinguish your "wants" from your "needs." It will keep your feet on the ground and keep you humble. Gratitude is absolutely vital for living a simple, happy life. Be happy and give thanks for the really wonderful things in your life, the things you know you can't live without.

I'm very thankful today. Thankful for what I had, thankful for what I currently have, and thankful for what I will have. Thankful for peace, for family and friends, and thankful for hope and faith. Without these things, where would I be?

And as always, I'm thankful for each of you. If you're reading this, chances are you hold a special place in my heart. Here's to a happy Thanksgiving for you and yours :)

Just Be

Ah, to be human.  Being human means knowing ups and downs.  It means experiencing those "bad spells."  You know the ones.  When nothing seems to be going your way.

Maybe you've made a mistake in the past that you're trying to learn to live with, and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier.  Maybe you harbor some anger against someone who's wronged you, and those angry feelings seem to be totally consuming you.  Maybe you show up to work every day, smiling and polite, and the only thing your coworkers have bothered to ask you is whether you're on welfare.  Maybe you were turned down for your dream job because of some ridiculous red tape.  Maybe you're just plain unhappy with life in general.

Most of us have experienced mornings when it seems like it takes every milligram of energy we have to get out of bed and face the thankless cycle of the day ahead of us.  It seems pointless to have days like these.  O great universe, how does that contribute to a positive world?  So often, you'll meet those clowns who tell you that the only way to enjoy the good in life is to experience the bad in life.  And it's easy to think that they're only telling you that because THEY'RE enjoying one of the coveted "good spells."

And what if they're right?  What if the only reason we're able to distinguish the good times from the bad is because we've seen both?  So if we find ourselves caught in a bad spell, what's the next step?

We're conditioned to be strong in whatever we do.  We're wired to be brave and courageous, and to exhibit that strength, bravery, and courage by stepping up and making a necessary change.  "You control your destiny!" "Be the change you wish to see!" (blah blah blah...)

What if that "bold move" isn't our only option?  Some things are totally and completely beyond our control.  Sometimes making a change isn't possible.  Sure, there are people who have risen from whatever dire situation they were in and made a better life for themselves, and we glorify them.  We see those people as heroes.  We want to be just like them. 

What about the silent heroes?  Sometimes the best choice is just to persevere, to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to jump back into the "good life."  For whatever reason, maybe now is not the right time to be changing your life.  Look at those around you.  Look at the challenges each one faces.  Look for that silent, patient warrior, the one who seems to be using perseverance as their only means of coping.  It's possible that those silent warriors are fighting just as tough a battle as the outwardly courageous ones.  It's just a little harder to spot.

Sometimes patience is indeed the highest virtue.  Maybe we don't find the most intense strength in actively changing our lives, but in waiting for the right time to make the change.  Maybe in order to be strong and brave, you just have to BE.