Reasons to be Thankful

We had a whole day of rain, which is a fantastic time to sit and reflect, as everything feels fresher, and alive. As I sat, drinking my coffee, watching the rain come down, I considered how much I have to be thankful for in my life. My Dad is a very wise man, and he has always taught me that when I reach a crossroads, and feel uncertain, this is what I need to do.

As I sit I am aware that life is good, and at times I consider whether it is better than I deserve. The world is full of disappointment, suffering, pain and hardship, and yet I have time to be thankful for what I have in life. This in its own small way is a miracle.

I am learning that I am blessed and that I need to be grateful of this, and gratitude is something that we all need to learn. In a world where people continue to die of hunger, and hurt each other for no reason, it all just doesn't make sense. However, as I age I begin to understand that being grateful is a choice that you need to embrace.

I love lists, so writing a gratitude list seemed like the easy thing to do, however, it took time and effort to write the list correctly. It becomes a discipline to remind yourself all of the reasons why you need to be thankful. If you open your eyes, regardless of your circumstances, you will see there are many things to be thankful of in your life.

My reasons, on that rainy day were:

1. I am thankful for my husband, who is my closest friend, my support, comfort and who has never let me down.
2. I am thankful for my health, as although I cannot run marathons, or climb mountains, but I wake up every day.
3. I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to do a job that I enjoy, always rewarding, incredibly frustrating, and at moments extremely hard. 
4. I am thankful that my children are growing into well educated, polite young adults, who every day make us proud. 
5. I am thankful for my friends, their creative minds, and full support at every twist and turn.
6. I am thankful for books, as these help to inspire me, and allow me to travel into another world. 
7. I am thankful for where I live, and having the opportunity to see it grow and flourish.

All in all as I watch the rain fall, the trees being watered, the chickens running for shelter, I am extremely thankful!