Inventory

"A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted - mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more."

My work has brought me to a place of realization...

There are a lot of wandering souls in this world.  A lot of deeply lonely people who linger and cross our paths on a daily basis.  A lot of hurt.  A lot of unhappiness.  A lot of pain. A lot of people who haven't experienced "happy" or "loved" or "complete" in a long time.  

That realization and that reminder should be enough to make me stop and take a true inventory of my life and realize how blessed I am.  I should actively and daily be thankful for the many many blessings that I have in my life.  And I'm not.  I take them for granted.  I take people for granted.  I take the simple act of waking up in the morning for granted.  I take privilege for granted.  I take hot food and a warm bed for granted.  I take moments of joy and laughter for granted.  And as the quote says, I take them for granted because I assume there is more to come.  I assume that these things will never not exist.  I assume that I am invincible and will go on indefinitely.  I assume that somehow I deserve those things.  

What will it take for us to live with a true understanding of what we really have?  An honest inventory of our blessings?  

As we head into this Thanksgiving season, I'm reminded of how truly blessed I am.  And I'm not talking blessed as in I have the new IPhone 5 and designer duds in my closet.  I'm talking blessed because I have 7 girlfriends back home who pray for me and send me e-mails that make me laugh out loud in public spaces and know me better than anyone else.  I'm talking blessed because I have found people in Boston who complete my soul...those lost links that I never knew I needed in my life and that I would never have met if I hadn't followed God here.  I'm talking blessed because I have family and friends who love me and support me and never give up on me even when I'm not so sure about myself.  I'm talking blessed because I have heat and warm clothes and food that doesn't come out of a trash can.  I'm talking blessed because I have the freedom and the privilege to move forward and chase my dreams when others do not.  I'm talking blessed.  Really blessed.

This month, take some time to think about what you have and spend less time thinking about what you don't have.  And think of ways to give back to others who have less than you!  

Love you all and wishing you well this holiday season!

Dani