On days like this, we should all be grateful for what we have

With the people of Japan in my thoughts today, I want to write about gratitude.  Each of us never knows when our lives will be swept away, sometimes literally.  Today is a good day to start thinking about what you are grateful for, but it shouldn’t be just today.  This is something each of us should do every day.  You can write in a gratitude journal at the end of the day or maybe you can post on Facebook, or tweet about something you for which you are grateful.  Perhaps it is just taking a moment in the day to think and contemplate all you have.

I started the morning and discovered my husband had forgotten to make the kids' lunches.  The van was out of gas and my daughter slipped on the ice and fell in water.  I filled up with gas and for some reason, the pump put in premium gas at $1.31 a litre instead of the already high regular gas at $1.22 (and I was filling the van which holds about 90 litres!)  Then the puddles soaked my boots and socks.  Ugh!  It was the beginning of a less than stellar day.

I’d heard mention of the earthquake on the radio, but it wasn’t until I got to the office and saw the images and video that I appreciated the severity of this tragedy.  Suddenly, my day seemed pretty good in comparison.  So today I’m taking time to be thankful for my husband, my kids, my family and friends.  I’m grateful for everything I have and everything I’ve been able to achieve.  I’m grateful to all those who have helped me along the way and to those that will enter my life and continue to help me.  I’m grateful for my health and for the country we live in where healthcare is universal and I know that no matter how bad things get, there is a support network that can help.  I am grateful I live in a city where Mother Nature is relatively kind.  I am grateful for a tsunami warning system and the technology and commmunications that allowed Hawaii to be prepared.  

There are some things we can’t control as we saw today in Japan, but there are so many things we can do to make every day count.  Don’t let life just happen.  Take charge and make it everything you want it to be.    Be grateful for everything you have and don’t let another day go by without telling those you love how grateful you are for them.  Live your life experiencing more, enjoying more and being more than you are today, because you never know when your world will change. 

From gratitude, you will find peace, calm and serenity. 

My thoughts are with all those in Japan and the family and friends who have lost loved ones or are waiting for news from those still missing.