I Am Blessed

I had two conversations at work with friends today that got me thinking how lucky and blessed I am. One friend mentioned that today would have been his mother's 76th birthday. She died unexpectedly in 1991. Even though he talked freely about some good things about her, I could feel the pain and loss that he still felt.

I, on the other hand, am fortunate that my parents are both still with us. Mom is 83, and Dad will turn 80 in December. Both are still mentally clear (or if not, they fake it well!), and both are in good shape physically for their age. (I kid Mom that she takes so many pills she rattles when she walks). What a blessing that I get to enjoy them still!

Another friend mentioned today that she had "failed" her physical therapy yesterday. See, she was in a very nasty car accident a few months back that, frankly, she's lucky to have survived. She failed because of some exercise that involved moving her head diagonally up and down with her eyes closed, She failed because it made her dizzy and nauseous. Still.

I, on the other hand, have never had a broken bone or been admitted to the hospital. I had a fractured collarbone when I was like 7 or 8. I was chasing my little brother with murderous intent and slipped and fell into the corner of the TV. Now this was probably 1962 or so, and TV's back then weighed as much as a small car does today. I was in a sling for a while. I had hernia surgery back in '08, but other than that, I never get really sick (just a bit under the weather sometimes) and I'm blessed with pretty good health.

There's another good friend there at work that, sometime in the past, lost a child. I don't know the story, but they have good days and bad days still.
All three of these people are among the strongest, most positive people I know. I hope some of that rubs off on me.

I, on the other hand, am blessed with five fine, healthy offspring. They are all intelligent, confident, and well-adjusted (at least, as well-adjusted as kids of mine could be). I feel good about my relationship with each of them, and love them completely.

Our Cub Scout pack has signed up about 40 new kids this month. It saddens me when I see how many of them come with step-parents. My two girls have adjusted well to their step-mother. I hope these scouts do too.

I, on the other hand, never realized just how bad my first marriage was until I was blessed enough to get into a good one. In many ways, Monica saved my life back in 1989. We'll be married twenty years next June. It STILL feels like about four (until DJ wants the car keys). I've heard that one true test of love is if that person's happiness is more important than your own. Hers is.

(If Momma's happy, everybody's happy!)

I often moan and groan and complain and so forth, but I am THE most blessed person there is. I therefore have to work hard every day to earn it. And, I hope, to pass some of it along.