Sometimes I catch myself thinking about “My” world. What I mean by that is there is so much going on in this world, some of which will affect me, but doesn’t necessarily involve me, yet I tend to focus on the tiny little sphere around me.
I sometimes allow myself to focus only on me. I catch myself thinking about having Myasthenia Gravis. I get frustrated with myself when I can’t open a jar or stumble when I’m mowing the lawn. I get embarrassed when my eyelids droop or my voice becomes hoarse. I catch myself worrying about what tomorrow will bring.
As we speak, people in Asheville, NC are still being devastated from the effects of Hurricane Helene. There are still hundreds missing or unaccounted for in that area because they have no power or cell phones, so there’s no way to communicate. The damage from that hurricane reached from the Gulf Coast of Florida all the way up to the Carolinas. Those people are hurting.
As I write this, Iran has launched as many as 181 ballistic missiles at Israel. Although at this point there doesn’t appear to be any casualties, can you imagine living in Israel wondering if the next missile will rain down from the sky and destroy you and your family? We don’t know yet what Israel’s response will be, but I would bet this back and forth between Iran and Israel is far from over.
I have friends who are battling cancer, dementia and a host of other conditions. Some of them are fighting for their lives. Others are faced with the continued progression of their disease with no way to fight it.
On television, I see advertisements for St. Jude where little children are facing life threatening conditions. These children haven’t had a chance to enjoy life; they’re too busy getting treatments and feeling crummy. Can you imagine being the parent of one of these children not knowing if your child is going to make it? I’ve donated to St. Judes for years. While I think what they’re doing for these families is an amazing thing, it’s unbelievable that we need St. Judes and these kids are having to go through this.
And then my mind comes back to me.
I don’t have it so bad. I really have no reason to complain. Sure, I can’t do some of the things I used to do and I’m unsure what tomorrow will bring, but I’m not suffering like all these other people. What I’m going through doesn’t even compare.
Instead of focusing on my problems, I need to do a better job of appreciating all with which God has blessed me. I have family who love me, friends that care about me, dogs that appreciate me as their treat dispenser, a house to live in, a car to drive, a computer on which to write blogs, and readers who read them. I’m so incredibly blessed.
I bet if you truly evaluated your situation, you’d have a lot to be thankful for, as well.
Appreciation is an attitude. We can train ourselves to appreciate. By continually practicing appreciation, we can make it a habit. A habit is a reaction that comes naturally, without even having to think about it. That’s the kind of appreciation I want to practice. I want to make it a habit.
That doesn’t mean I no longer think about my friends or have compassion for their situation. The opposite is true. I think about them and pray for them daily, but I also need to appreciate them. By recalling the good times we spent together and, if possible, sharing those memories with them, I can both honor and celebrate them at a time when they really need it the most. I can show them I appreciate them.
I choose not to wallow in my troubles. I choose to appreciate all of which God has blessed me. I choose to enjoy memories. I choose to hope for the future.
I choose to Appreciate the Day!