Just Being Grateful

I wouldn't say my life is perfect - I don't know about anyone else's life, but I rather think that no one leads a perfect life. I'm not saying things might not appear to be perfect, or closer to perfection than I seem to get, but one never knows what's behind the scenes. What's the saying about everyone fighting some kind of battle we know nothing about? I may have grown up thinking my family was so much more dysfunctional than everyone else's family - there were times I felt that approaching my teenage years. The more into adulthood my journey gets, the more I realize that there are no perfect families with perfect lives - we're all on different journeys. Maybe we all have the same destination, but I believe the routes are our own individually. That's deep enough to get, lest I get off the subject of gratitude and just being grateful.

I'm not proud of all of the choices I've made on my journey - some of them were made when I should've known better, I'll admit it. But I own them and I blame no one else but myself. I don't exactly need - or want, to share those choices/decisions with anyone and everyone, but they're mine. I have close enough friends who know of some of my worst moments - and they're close enough to view those choices with at least a fraction of the regret that I have for them. I'm grateful for friends who still call me their friend with an even though moment or two.

Friends and family are what I'm most grateful for, but I have a side of the family that I favor over the other. Thankfully the good side of the family instilled the notion that family is everything. Then there's being thankful for some longstanding friendships that are an extension of my family. The brothers I never had via bloodlines, the sisters I have outside of bloodlines. Deep within my soul these are people that don't make me feel as old as I'm getting. I'm not sure how to explain that feeling, and I guess it's just because I have known them for most of my life.

Then there are the friends that I spent time briefly with, yet they made a mark so deep into my soul that knowing them a third or quarter of my life and only being in close proximity to them for a year or two, still makes them feel like people I've known most of my life. I have one such friend in that category - if you want to call it that, who I've seen twice in the last year, three times in the last 15 years. We talk on the phone several times a year - and now we text. Until last August, I hadn't seen this friend since '03. Nothing had changed about our conversation flow - we talked like we always had years ago when we worked together. Time has brought some changes to the table, but not to the bond of friendship.

I think friends who make marks like this in our lives are with us despite time, miles and other things that can distance to people - at least that's how it feels to me, and it's taken friends like I have to realize that....along with a few years that hopefully come with some wisdom. At any given moment, even on my worst of days, there are more things to be grateful for than I can count. If I can't count 'em all, I should at least recognize a few of them. We lose momentum when we let ourselves lose sight of the things we should be grateful for - at least I know I do. Who wants to lose momentum? Not me, that's for sure. Boom, there you have it - my thoughts on a beautiful Monday morning as I write through the coffee. If you're reading this, I hope you have a fantastic week. Peace, good people.

CRO