Do You REALLY Know How Blessed You Are?

One day last week I was watching tv, the show was about a real murder mystery only it wasn't such a mystery.  The story was about a Father of a young woman from another country who felt she had dishonored her family  and religious belief.  The Father sat in his truck and waited for his daughter who was no longer living with the family.  When she came outside of a government building he knew she was in he drove his truck hitting her as well as her aunt.  The Aunt, his sister-in-law sustained injuries but his daughter unfortunately, died.  Not only was I horrified and saddened by the story it made me think and appreciate how blessed I was to be born and live in the United States.  I could not even begin to think what it would be like to be apart of a family or a culture that does not allow me to be who I am and want to be.

This past weekend was fabulous, my Auntie and Uncle along with two of my cousins came for a visit from New York.  They came down on Saturday and left Sunday.  Although it was a short visit I was so happy to see them and spend time with them.  The only drawback to the visit was unfortunately my Auntie got was very sick.  She believed it was from something she ate when she stopped at a rest stop on her way down to VA.  Sunday morning she was feeling much better.  Something she said really resonated with me.  She said I feel much better, thank God I don't feel like this all the time.

We began to talked about my Dad and how very sick he is and how with all of his ailments, he is still here with us and he doesn't complain.  My dad has been very sick for the past few years. last March he was so sick we really didn't think he would make it out of the hospital, but thanks be to God he survived.

Every day I watch him slowly move through the house with an oxygen tube he has to have 24 hours a day.  He also has to do a breathing treatment 3 times a day and he has to have dialysis 3 days a week.  My Father is my hero.  He worked for the EMS/FDNY for 40 years and retired 6 months after 9/11.   A man who was once tall, healthy and strong, is now a shell of his former self due to his illnesses.   When he comes home from dialysis he is so week he can barely walk and needs help doing something as simple as taking his coat or jacket off!

Seeing my dad weak and suffering hurts me to my heart, but it also makes me appreciate a lot of things and reminds me of how blessed I am.  I'm blessed to still have him here with us.  He could have been one of the many who was lost in that tragedy of 911.

Everyday of our life is not always sunshine and rainbows, however if we really examine our lives we will see that we are truly blessed. Sometimes you have to learn to appreciate even the smallest things in life to the greatest things.  Being healthy and free from illness and ailments is a BLESSING.  Being able to open your refrigerator and pantry and find something to eat is a blessing.  To have family and friends who love and support you is a blessing.

To walking into your closet and having a choice of what you want to wear is a BLESSING.  To enjoy going to work or even having a job to go to is a blessing. 

If you have a roof over your head and are not sleeping outdoors in a cardboard box you are BLESSED!

Yes there are plenty of things to complain and whine about, but there are just as many things to give thanks for.  So take some time each day to appreciate how BLESSED You Are!

Hugs and Blessings, Val