Layers. That's what I am wearing. Many layers. It is cold here. Hmmm. It is winter, after all, so cold is to be expected, but I hate having cold hands!
I am listening to the news - unemployment figures, home re-possession, murder, cholera, OJ. I am looking at people marching in Harare - Zimbabwe is a place which defies belief. How much worse can the situation get? Crisis? Oh yes.
And yet, I am safe in my little world here. I have heating, I have food, I have shelter, I have water, I have books, I have a computer, I have clothes, I have a comfortable bed, I have blankets, I have it all. My problems seem miniscule in comparison to the problems of people in Zim, drinking water they know is going to possibly kill them, because they have no other option.
I tend to forget at times, just how much I have to be thankful for. The news reminds me that my small corner of the world is not the norm. I need the news to ground me - bring me back to reality. The temptation is to turn it off and bury my head in the sand, but I don't do that. I need to know what is happening, and part of that is what makes me the person I am.
I know how fortunate I am. I know I have so much to be thankful for. I know this, because I make sure I know what the rest of the world is contending with on a daily basis. And so, when I look at my own life, there is no room for self-pity or discontent. I may not have many riches. I may not have all the trappings. My dishwasher is dead (you need to know how much I HATE washing dishes!) and there are loads of things on my wish list, of course. I would change a great deal if I could!
But hey, I have enough! More than enough. I am an ordinary woman, who is immensely grateful that I have so much.
14 comments:
Linds, A day or so ago our friend, Mary, got happy all inside and out as she sang a song called "Give Thanks", and it spread to where you and I are.
Lately I've been starting my day thanking God for anything I can think of. This morning I started with the rays of sun coming through my windows, and it set the tone for the rest of the day.
If I were Santa, I would bring you a new dishwasher this year, but we can at least have grateful hearts. Thank you for reminding me of that.
We certainly do have an abundance of things to be thankful for in our lives. It is nice to pause and think about all of our blessings.
Sorry to hear that it is so cold over there. Actually is is still autumn so you can't even blame it on the fact that it is winter. I hope it does not mean a long winter for you.
Have a good weekend.
Amen!!
It is good to be grateful. It is also good to know what is going on, even though, until I read your post, I had no idea. Sigh. It is good to wash dishes when hands are chilled. Gentle hugs, Linds.
Being thankful is a Godly energy and has such healing elements. Supposedly so simple to do (after all you hit the nail on the head when you said we have so much to be grateful for), yet so way down on our list of daily practices. Why is that, I wonder? I am currently reading a book at the moment called 'Thank You Power' by Deborah Norville (i am giving Max a bit of a rest). It's a study format on how to move lip service to heart experience.
Practice is the key - regardless of our frail (unreliable) human emotions we should practice saying Thank You.
Thank You,Linds.
P.S The word verification for this comment is grationa (how amazing is that?
I am a woman who relates completely and totally. We are so blessed and we need to be constantly aware of those who are suffering. Even of those who have the worldly goods they have no heart peace of soul or body. Blessed indeed we are!!!!
Susan
Look on the bright side, Linds. Washing dishes by hand sucks, but hey! At least you get to stick your hands in hot water when it's freezing outside and you can't get warm. LOL
I'm reading The Appeal by John Grisham right now and let me tell you, every time I turn on my kitchen tap to draw a glass of water to drink, I'm VERY thankful for clean drinking water.
Great book. It makes you appreciate just one of the many little things we all forget to be thankful for.
Like you, I'm appreciating the things that I usually just take for granted. No matter how bad the economy and the job situation around the world, we still have an abundance of luxuries that people in third world countries can't even imagine having.
Very well spoken, as usual. We woke up to 0 degrees this morning - it had dipped to -5 (F) overnight - a record low for this date. It has gone up to the 20s, so not too bad. The snow from yesterday still looks lovely, but should disappear in the high 50s tomorrow - if it makes it up that far.
I was writing my Christmas letter last night and expressing the same thankfulness and realizing how little we really deserve all that we have, but are so blessed!
I don't know why but I read your blog every time you post. Don't know what it is. Had a look at all the blogs on your roll and haven't subbed to any - just yours. Was looking round for a female blog I could read - felt terrible that the only blogs I was reading were all by men. So good job.
Boiling hot where I am - wouldn't mind a bit of the winter chill. But dishwasher is working. Yay.
Deb
Even the worst times I've seen in my 45 years are nothing compared to many others in this troubled world. I am blessed even in what I consider the hard times and I need to be reminded of that occasionally.
Thanks for the nudge.
xoxoxo
Diane
There is always someone worse off. You do have a great attitude. I wrote a post this morning on the same subject...great minds think alike!
Just this week I started a new gratitude journal and my goal is to record the tiny little things that trigger my thanks each day. It's amazing how quickly I can fill up a page!
And I know what you mean when you say 'compared to so many' - it's really quite staggering and sobering. And makes my giving mean that much more this season. ((( HUGS )))
I just had a revelation today regarding your post about a friend at the meeting. I have a friend who is missing her kids dreadfully. They both left for the city and post secondary schooling this fall and her nest is very empty now. I need to reach out more and be mindful of my conversation with her. Thank you again for writing that post.
It is a wonderful day when we can, finally, say "I have enough"
n'est-ce pas?
The situation in Zim is horrendous. For us, who live reasonably close by it does not seem possible that people could be dying in their thousands because of poor sanitary conditions. SA has stood by and let this happen and that is really hard to accept.
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