Reflections: Living A Blessed Life

I have had such a blessed life. Saying that doesn't mean that it has been easy by any stretch of the imagination. Nor has it been perfect. But it has been a rich and blessed life.

I count these blessings daily, sometimes hourly. I take nothing, or anyone, for granted anymore. It wasn't so that long ago. I have been doing some reflecting on my past and some things I saw are not pleasant. I have alienated friends and left sad impressions on others. It's almost like I  lead a separate, almost secret life. I have lost good friends because of my insecurities, my judgemental attitude, and because I was selfish and lazy. I am working on that now. I won't ever have those friendships again and that is my loss.

I want to share some of my blessings with you. First off, I want to acknowledge the women that are working on this blog with me. Each one of them inspire me to be a better person. I love and admire them beyond belief! I want them to know that. They are uniquely beautiful, strong women. Saying I love you to the moon and back seems so limited, so I love you to the moon and beyond!

I am blessed with a large and varied extended family. When asked how many siblings I have, my answer is "lots". I am an only child, the middle of three, and the oldest of six.

I have been blessed with a sister that loves me enough to be my friend, just as I am blessed with a friend who loves me enough to be a sister.

I have a man that almost worships the ground I walk on. He has devoted his life to helping provide for our children and loving them (and me) beyond the moon as well.

We have been blessed with eight fantastic children, who in their turn, have blessed us with soon- to- be fifteen grandchildren. I am blessed with the opportunity to have three of our grandchildren in the same town and whom I get to enjoy time with on an almost daily basis. They intrigue me with their energy and imaginations and their thirst for knowledge. I am certain that all three of them were born knowing all the new fangled technology and they terrify me when they run into problems with their game systems and come to me for help.

It is the same technology that causes me such angst that enables me to converse face to face with our other grandchildren scattered across thousands of miles. It's almost like having them here.

Blessings are everywhere. Sometimes they are so glaringly obvious and sometimes they are so subtle as to be almost missed. I love the old saying "Stop and smell the roses". I change it to "stop and smell the flowers" and I do so, literally. I stop to smell flowers whenever I can, whether it be in the florist section of the grocery store, along the trail on a walk, on the side of the road, in a garden. As I drink in their scent, I close my eyes to savor the aroma, and I think of my blessings. Something so small and insignificant can calm even my troubled heart and lift a downtrodden spirit.