In Gratitude for Two Points

It's been a year later since Sandy, and now Typhoon Haiyan?  The worst storm to hit land ever?  Unbelievable.

I saw this picture and my heart ached. Completely ached.

Photo by Reuters/Erik De Castro from emergencies.crs.org

As Thanksgiving approaches I've focused heavily on gratitude for the blessings in life.  The good things.  I think most of us probably aren't aware on a daily basis of how good we actually do have it. 

This week my husband didn't pass the bar.  That's right, didn't pass, and not only that, but the poor guy missed passing by two points.
  

Two lousy, stinking points.  Two good for nothing, lame points.

After a few days of "mourning" this loss, we've both officially recovered from the initial shock, and have focused even harder on his achieving this goal come February. 

The bottom line is, we're going to be just fine.  We may be living with my in-laws a little bit longer than  hoped, but hey, that's life.

And yet somehow it's still disgustingly easy for me to stop cold in the middle of my day and think of how hard I have it in life.  How "tough" of a year it's been...poor me!  

After seeing this picture today I know that my self pity is nothing but self indulgence, essentially pure garbage.

I have SO much to be grateful for in life.  Not only an incredibly loving husband, but the best good hearted little son AND another son up in heaven praying for us.  I have a supportive family, the best friends, a beautiful home to live in, three delicious meals a day, a hot shower, and a car.

I'm sure most of you have been blessed with most of these things too.

But - poor me - my husband didn't pass the bar the first time?  Yeah, I've got it reeeeal bad. 

This boy in the picture above probably lost everything.  And who's to say that tomorrow the same couldn't happen to me and my family?  Therefore, I am grateful for those missed two points because it puts life beautifully in perspective.  When we think we've got it bad, we don't even know what bad is.

God bless that little boy, and every single person affected with the immense loss and tragedy.  And feel free to join me in truly being grateful this Thanksgiving. 

If you want to help the victims of the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines you can donate to: Catholic Relief Services Emergencies.  And of course remember that prayer and fasting can the most powerful help of all.  "Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!" -Psalm 27:14