Even though I don't have the chance to celebrate the American holiday Thanksgiving living here in the Netherlands, today is as good a day as any to pauze for a moment and consider the things I am grateful for. With the horrors in Mumbai taking place live on my TV screen, with the worries about staying in my home or ever being able to retire because of the financial disaster taking place, it is more important than ever to take the time to be grateful for all the blessings in my life.
A few days ago I received an inspirational email from my friend Simonne. It made me realize that with all the craziness going on around me, there is still so so much to give thanks for:
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.
If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.
If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.
If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 700 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare.
If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
