Sweet Blessings

Today I feel like sharing that life is good . . . and there is much to be grateful for in my little world. I was recently pondering the plethora of sweet blessings I have in my life, and realized, (once again), how much I enjoy the quiet, simple pleasures that add up to contentment. For example, I was visiting with family several days ago, holding my grandson on my lap, enjoying conversation and laughter with my daughter, son in law, his mom, my boyfriend and my visiting brother. We were eating, around my daughter's big harvest table, the sun was streaming in the windows, grandson was nestled against me and my brother was regaling us with childhood memories . . . the kids were listening with smiles . . . it was a Norman Rockwell kind of day. There was a pristine frosting of snow - the sort of day you'd like to photograph for posterity. Something caused us to glance out the window . . . and there was a family of deer, 9 of them to be exact, feeding just below the deck. They glanced up at us as we watched them, and there was a sense of peace and cohabitation and trust that just added to the already beautiful day. In times of uncertainty in this country and turmoil in the world, amidst economic upsets and nightly news that brings stress right into your living room, I consistently remember the words of a hymn I learned as a child, entitled Count Your Blessings.

The chorus goes like this:

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done; Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

These seemingly simple moments, when added to many other daily, small delights, form the foundation of my joy.

I have faced tough challenges, and sometimes struggled to survive life's ebb and flow, but when all is said and done, I am thrilled to have a spent a lifetime working at the profession I most enjoy, surrounded by people I love, and living in several of the most beautiful locations in America.

Maybe life is what we make of it . . perhaps the love of our friends & family is the number one ingredient in happiness.

Maybe our attitude determines our inner joy.

Maybe faith is the crucial element in knowing peace.

They all add up to a sweet serenity that brings a smile to my face and causes me to whisper . . .

"thank you".