Gratitude

Hello again,

Okay so I had a little lapse yesterday. No real excuses except that I did teach all day and then I had to get my family ready for a basketball game which did not end until late and then we had to eat dinner, do homework, prepare for the next day etc. so I didn't blog-slacker that I am, but I did think about it and I did think about what I wanted to write. This is about baby steps as I said last post. That said...
Gratitude is the theme today. Gratitude is the state of being grateful. Grateful is the state of being thankful or appreciative. We have just finished the holiday season and usually for many of us that is a time to reflect on what we are truly grateful for; if you can get over the hustle bustle and stress that the holidays can bring.
This past holiday season was particularly difficult as we had three different people that we are close to wind up in the hospital for one reason or another. I will not disclose the who, whats, wheres, whys, of exactly what happened, but just know that right before Christmas someone wound up in the hospital fighting for his life. Shortly after Christmas two others that are close to my heart wound up in the hospital for various reasons. Needless to say the holidays were not that merry for me.
The events of a tragedy bring so many emotions; anger- yes anger as crazy as that sounds because you say how could this happen at a time of year when things are supposed to be so happy? Another emotion is fear which I wrote about the other day; this fear was fear of death or losing someone you care about and for each incident I was fearful. Sadness of course is an emotion that you experience during any difficult time and finally the most healing and soothing emotion was feeling grateful.
I started to feel grateful for all of my blessings. My immediate family is in good health. My children are happy( for the most part, I do have a tweenager), my husband still has a job( which allows me this writing dream), I have people who love me and who I love. I have my own health and I am able to participate in triathlon, I am able to breath clean air, I have all the essentials in order to live, the list goes on and on from basic needs to the very extravagant. Speaking of people we love that brings me to another point.
I am grateful knowing that there are people in the world that love me but I am certain that the reverse is true. We don't always think of how we touch others and how others touch us until a bad event strikes. Why don't we tell those who we love that we do more often? Why do wait until something bad happens to tell people that they are important and that they matter?
When a tragedy strikes it brings reflection. I am grateful for life and living it each and every day; good or bad, it certainly beats the alternative. I am grateful for a voice that I can use to say to people," Hey, I love you, you are great, you matter!" We all matter and we touch each other in ways that we don't realize until sometimes it is too late. I am grateful it is not too late!

Love to all,
p.s. I am grateful not to live in Haiti right now and feel a surge of emotions for those people living with the disaster.
Kelly