“Take time to be thankful for everything that you have. You can always have more, but you could also have less.”
November is a month of reflection. The year is coming to a close and I find myself looking back on the past year. There's always good times as well as bad times, but one thing is always the same...year after year. Life always goes on. Each day is a blessing, not a promise. We each have the free choice to make each day our own. It's all about perspective.
I challenge you today to compile your own gratitude list. What are a few of the things you are thankful for? Sometimes it's difficult to find things to be thankful for, but after all these years I have come to the realization that things can ALWAYS get worse.
Here's my gratitude list:
1. I'm thankful for my health. So many people that surround me have health issues ranging from mild to severe. I've always been a healthy person and the most I've had to worry about is aches from time to time. Even when my body is feeling achy, I am reminded that I am healthy and still have a lot of life ahead of me.
2. I'm thankful for my family. I have an amazing husband that has supported me and our children. When I decided to quit teaching and become a photographer, he stood behind my decision and has always believed in me. My children are all healthy and are growing up to be adults that I am proud of. My family is my world!
3. I'm thankful for the gift of reading. I LOVE learning! I am always reading material that helps me grow - professionally and personally. There are several blogs that I follow and in one of these blogs I recently read something that hit me like a ton of bricks.
“Maybe you’re not an entrepreneur. Maybe you’re a mom. The CEO of your household. One of the hardest jobs in the world. And maybe you’re watching Dora the Explorer for the hundredth time and reading Curious George for the fiftieth, and those bottles that need to be rinsed and poise of laundry staring you in the face make you feel like you’re failing today.
You’re not. You’re doing the most important job in the entire world. Because you’re making investments in the dirt that will allow your child to soar to the clouds.”
4. I'm thankful for my friends. I am beyond blessed with the greatest friends I could have every asked for! Some friends I don't talk to everyday, or even once a month, but these friends are ALWAYS there when I need them. I have a handful of friends that are my best friends. They are supportive, encouraging. loyal, and a lot of fun to be around!
5. I'm thankful for all my amazing clients. Being a photographer is a TON of work! There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes and that work can be exhausting! But my clients keep me going. I love spending time with them. I love capturing them interact with one another. I love taking beautiful photographs of them and giving them a piece of art that makes them feel beautiful. I have become friends with many of my clients. And that makes me happy.
6. I'm thankful for the gift of hearing. I love music! I love noise! I am so thankful that I am able to listen to Red Dirt Music. THAT makes me happy!
7. I'm thankful that I have been put in a place where I can advocate for breastfeeding mothers. I help give mothers a voice to stand up for their right and for their family's. This would not be possible without all the strong females in my life and surround me. Even though I miss teaching in Marlin, I know I am doing important work.
8. I'm thankful for the Internet. I have met so many wonderful friends from all over the world! I have also met many teachers that continue to inspire me each and every day.
9. I'm thankful for living in a small town that is a true community. I know others are watching out for my children and will inform me if they see something troubling. A small town definitely feels like a family.
10. I'm thankful I have a warm, dry place to call home.
11. I'm thankful for GRACE. It is a love that can't be explained. My Heavenly Father inspires me with creativity and pushes me to see the bigger picture - to see a different perspective.
