What Are Your Blessings?

This is long, but if you read it all the way through, it may just leave you feeling more blessed than you can believe.

I had a sleepless night last night, but I woke up this morning feeling blessed to have a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep in and a heater to keep me warm. I thought about the people sleeping on the streets, and those who cannot afford to heat their homes, some of whom will die from the cold this winter, and I said a little prayer for them.

I made coffee, and thought about how blessed I am to have running water, electricity and a coffee maker. I went online and thought about how blessed I am to have an internet connection and a laptop to access it. I'm also blessed to have sight to see the screen and hearing to hear the sounds and to be able to type on the keyboard

I was hungry, so I looked into my kitchen for something to eat. I started thinking about how little I have to eat in the house, and thinking of going to the grocery store. I put some butter in the microwave to soften so I could make toast, and thought how blessed I am to have a microwave and toaster oven (both gifts from caring friends), bread and butter. Two slices of toast may not seem like much of a blessing to most, but it's more than a lot of people are waking up to this morning.

I looked into my cabinets and refrigerator and tried to figure out what to buy from the store with my $13 to go with what I already have to get me through until I can get some money coming in. I have 5 cans of green beans, 1 can of tomatoes, 2 cans of greens and a jar of pimentos. In another cabinet, I have a few staples like flour, sugar, about a cup of rice, some brown rice protein powder, enough Bisquick to make maybe 4 small biscuits, and seasonings. In the fridge I have half a can of kidney beans, some leftover rice, 3 potatoes, a few stalks of celery, butter, a small amount of salad dressing, some condiments, one bag of frozen corn, one package of frozen spinach and some frozen chicken broth.

I have a few other small bits of things, like two snack packs of microwave Kettle Corn, a handful of salted sunflower seeds and  a few starlight mints. To drink, I have coffee, Kool Aid and a lot of green tea bags and some stevia to sweeten it. I also have a few boxes of Jello.

I'm not going to be eating like a queen, that's for sure, but I'm not going to starve today, or for the next few days until I get paid. I have yellow, red and green vegetables. I have starches and protein. I have healthy tea to drink. I think of all the people who will not have a meal today, or if they are lucky, will get only one meal from a soup kitchen or shelter. I think of those who are reduced to diving in dumpsters to get something to eat.

I thought of taking a shower and thought how much of a blessing a private bathroom with hot water is. I thought about how some cities refuse to give homeless people access to bathrooms, much less showers. I laid out my clothes, most of them bought from thrift stores or given to me for free, and I thought how lucky I am to have warm, clean clothes to wear.

I looked out my window at my courtyard which will one day be full of fresh food to eat and thought what an absolute blessing it was to find this lovely apartment that I can afford, when I had a horrible ex-slumlord who has done everything in his power to hurt me. I thought how sorry I feel for him, because no amount of money or power to control and hurt people will ever give him peace. He is so damaged, so I sent up a little prayer that the universe would find a way to heal his soul.

I looked at my big plastic bag full of seeds and thought how blessed I am to have the knowledge to grow my own food for very little money, using only what nature provides. I thanked the trees for their leaves that will give my plants nourishment and thanked the universe for the beautiful flowers that grace my landscape.

I went online to check out my work possibilities for the day and found plentiful work. I thanked the universe for giving me the ability to write so I can earn a living. I should also bless the souls of the women who taught me to read and write over my school years. They are all long dead, but the gift they gave me lives on and is now giving me sustenance and a purpose in life.

I could go on and on about all my blessings. Some people would look at me and say I have little, but I look at people who have nothing and feel like I am rich. Yes, I struggle. Right now I'm struggling to earn enough money for much needed dental work and a trip to Washington state to see my son graduate from college. He struggled for so long to get this degree, and I will get there, even if I have to start walking across the country in April, but I won't have to do that. The universe will send me more blessings to see that I get what I need.

So look around you and count your blessings every day. If you have a roof over your head, food in your belly and a warm place to sleep, you are better off than millions of veterans and families who are homeless this winter. Think of what you can do to help. Donate to your local homeless shelter or food bank. Make up a bunch of sandwiches and pass them out to the homeless in your city. Just don't walk by and do nothing. These are your fellow citizens, many of whom fought for your right to have what you have. Treat them with love and caring and it will come back to you many fold.