Every time this year, like most people, I always take stock in what I’m grateful for…my family, my friends, my health, my life, so on and so forth. But this year, with the passing of two co-workers and a couple of family members and a health scare, I am truly appreciative for what I have.
Every day leading up to Thanksgiving, I’ve been taking stock in what I have and the people who are around me and have never been more cognizant and content with my place in life. There are just days when I can’t help but stop myself in my tracks and smile.
On days like this I always think “Nothing could be more perfect in my life right now. If I could just somehow stop time and live in this moment forever, I’d be totally ecstatic.” A sense of overwhelming joy consumes me and thank God for giving me this occasion to feel this way.
When I was younger, I often took for granted a lot of things in my life and somehow lost sight of what it really meant to be thankful for what I had around me. It was all about “me” and the mere fact that I had many more years ahead just made me concentrate on what might be instead of what might come to pass.
But if I hadn’t had all those missed opportunities, mistakes and regrets then I wouldn’t come to the self-realization of how lucky I am in life. Like that saying goes, “With age, comes wisdom.” And I learned that I needed to enjoy the here and now, accept where I am in life and recognize the people around me that where steadfast in everything I did.
Because of my newfound outlook on life, I preach to my children everyday on acknowledging what they have, to try and not be cavalier on thinking that you have all the time in the world. Time is a commodity that needs to be relished with respect and without regrets.
I have been going through the very same things you describe. I guess that’s what happens when you get to certain point in life. There is comfort in knowing we are not walking this journey alone. Happy belated Thanksgiving, Mark!
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Thanks Robin. AND a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well.
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What a beautiful post! I know well the feelings you describe, it’s as if we are living life in technicolour now! Thank you for sharing…
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Thanks Kimberlee, it’s always good to know that there are others out there that feel the same and share in like experiences.
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