Gratitude

Today I'm going to write differently than I have in the last 160 days.  I'm going to move away from recording fibromyalgia symptoms and focus on gratitude.

Several weeks ago I planned to begin noting once a day on Facebook something that i was grateful for.  I remembered for about two days, then life happened, and I moved on to other things.  It wasn't until a friend said a week or so  later, "What number are we on?" that I realized I had completely forgotten about my commitment.

So today I started thinking of what I'm grateful for, and I noted a few things on Facebook.  Sharing my life with my kids.  Having the family i have that catches me when I fall.  The safety net that has provided for me over the last several months as my life has fallen apart and come back together several times.  The fact that my kids won't starve tonight.

One of my friends was telling me today how much her family has lost since the economy crashed three years ago.  In some ways I feel more fortunate.  I didn't have a house and a huge amount of savings to lose.  I didn't have a lot at all.  Granted, we owe the shirts on our backs to somebody, probably Sallie Mae or the government, but we aren't losing a house.  We aren't in foreclosure.  We haven't been fired and lost benefits that we had counted on.

I have a beautiful puppy dog that makes me smile every day.  I have a father who makes me laugh on occasion, usually daily.  I have a mom who would do anything to help me, and has.  I have two beautiful, bright children that I adore.  I have a husband who tries to help out.  I have friends that I love both here and in Oklahoma.  I'm lucky.

clothes on my back.  Food in my belly and a roof over my head.  Gratitude.