It seems like within the past couple of weeks, a whole bunch of bad stuff has happened at once. Mostly to people close to me, but I tend to be like an emotional sponge. So if a good friend suffers or feels bad, so do I.
I have one close friend in the hospital, another whose marriage is falling apart. My best friend from childhood is worried sick about her mom, whose cancer made a nasty, unexpected comeback. I want to wave my magic wand and solve all their problems, but I can’t. Instead, I empathize. Oh, how I empathize (e.g., run to my mom’s house, throw my arms around her, cry like a baby, and beg her never to get cancer).
Meanwhile, I’ve been working a lot, along with trying to help out my friends, and have had even less time than usual with my family–which kills me. I need that family time to re-energize and remind me what life’s really about.
And so, to boost my spirits and remind myself what matters, I count my blessings, of which there are many. I should be (and am) grateful to be healthy myself, with a healthy, happy baby and loving husband. I have two wonderful parents who don’t mind hugging me while I have a good cry once in a while. I have some generous, caring, and hilarious coworkers who make a stressful day at work bearable. My husband and I have the finances to live comfortably and take good care of our daughter.
Things are OK. I am grateful.
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6 thoughts on “Ode to Gratitude”
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Susan, thank you so much for sharing this. I love this post.
We all get wrapped up in the worries of life and forget to count our blessings and appreciate what we have.
You’ve just inspired me to ask our members to do something like this over at workitmom.com.
Thank you!
Nataly
I’ve been feeling exactly the same way. I’ve got two friends coping with miscarriages which has made me realize how truely lucky I am to have had my two little boys without much fuss.
I can relate to the “emotional sponge.” However, I did just get some GREAT new recently and wanted to share because I know how cancer can link people–in fear, in grief, AND in hope! My good friend has been through a lot in the past five years: stage 2 breast cancer, in which she lost her son at 6 mos. in her pregnancy, stage 4 cancer, and it recently came back again a year later. Please read her blog. She is one of the most wonderful people you will ever meet and her love of life is contagious. She has an incredible sense of humor and my wish in posting this is that other people see that you CAN fight this dreaded thing called cancer. http://fortscancersux.blogspot.com/
Oh, I’m so sorry so many of your loved ones are having a hard time. It *is* rough. And while it’s great to be thankful for the good things in your own life, it’s hard not to worry and feel sad when you see others who are not doing as well. I’ve been experiencing some similar things lately (there must be a planetary alignment affecting all of this), and while I’m grateful for my little island of relative comfort and sanity, it does makes me realize how fragile life and relationships can be sometimes. All the more reason to enjoy those precious moments while we have them. Hugs to you and your friends.
Thanks everybody. I’m feeling the love. And I need it!
And I appreciate all the help you’ve given me throughout this experience. It means more to me than you’ll probably ever know.