Phenomenal Friday-Why Counting Your Blessings Is More Rewarding.

 

This is my submission to Debbie’s Forgiving Friday  series, where she writes about and invite others to share their thoughts on  Forgiveness, Self-Love and Personal Growth.

This year has been a roller coaster of events with one cart bumping the other! Yesterday I was mesmerised by the thick Fog that hovered over us all day. While watching the heavy Mist roll by my office window I reflected on this past year, how quickly it flew by, I mean Christmas is literally just around the corner now,  something I was not ready for, Christmas seem to come more quickly each year. I also reflected on all we had to not just face but embrace this past year. Certain things you can’t brush off you have to embrace and move on.

There were moments, like the Fog, just lingering and I thought would last forever, of course, those were the unpleasant ones. Then there were moments that went in a flash and as you can guess, those were the happy moments. Have you ever wondered why hard times seem to last forever and the good ones go by in a heartbeat?  Is it our imagination that stretches those horrible moments to infinity or distastes for anything unpleasant?  Whichever the case, they play heavily on the psyche.

The Fog has lasted well into the night. Like life, it’s just one of those things we can’t control and that’s what I had to remind myself of. Reading some of your blogs and going through my own posts reminded me that worrying robs us of happiness, it robs us of time because the time we spent worrying over situations beyond our control is truly time wasted. I caught myself reciting the ‘Serenity Prayer’ a few times and praying for guidance.

Despite the unpleasantries with life, in my moment of self-pity, there was light at the end of the tunnel. That light reminded me that I had so much to be thankful for and how gratitude can make a huge difference in our darkest hours.

I’m so Thankful and Grateful for:

My Mom– she spent five wonderful months with us. Making he solo journey from The Bahamas To Scotland was near wrecking for all those involved but she made it.

My Aunt– She also graced us with her presence, though her trip was shorter, we have fun and made some wonderful memories.

My Medical Scares- I had what was supposed to have been a minor procedure of having my wisdom teeth removed but that didn’t go well.  What it did though was put me down for two weeks, I do mean put me down. Spent a week in bed and another recovering while getting to know me. The other is more personal and I’m not really ready to share, not sure I’ll ever be. They made me slow down and taught me how fragile life really is.

My daughters- I’m always grateful for them they bring meaning to my life. #1 Began her adventure in Barcelona, where she is doing a 1-year exchange programme. #2 Graduated High School and began her tertiary education in August. I’m super proud of them both.

Life–I realised it’s not perfect. I’m not where I want to be but thank God I’m not where I was.

Friends and Family-Good friends and family are irreplaceable. They should be respected, loved, appreciated and told this often.

Work- I’ve met so many wonderful people in my new post and have learned so much about Team Work through working side by side with such an amazing team. It really makes life easier.

This year was a clear reminder how easy it becomes to count your sorrows but it’s far more rewarding to count your blessings.

~Happy Friday

©Etta D Richards