Just a thought...and things I'm Thankful for...

I was sitting here complaining about all the work I need to do for one meal tomorrow...In my house..Making another pot of great Costa Rican coffee.....Doors and Windows open because the weather is perfect.....complaining that I have to go to the grocery store and stop off at the bank. Thinking what a hassle it is that I have to set the table and iron the napkins for dinner tomorrow, where my family and friends will gather for a day of football and eating.

Then I got this email ...



Took a moment and got my priorities straight.....and remembered...I GET to cook tomorrow...I GET to spend time with my dad, and a few friends...I GET to go to the bank ....I GET to watch football with my friends....

I have a lot to be grateful for!

Thank you all for being here every day for me, and others.....


"You stay up for 16 hours. He stays up for days on end. You take a warm shower to help you wake up. He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a 'headache', and call in sick. He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends. He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure your cell phone is in your pocket. He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

You talk trash about your 'buddies' that aren't with you. He
knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls. He patrols the streets, searching for
insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is. He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong. He doesn't get to eat today.

Your maid makes your bed and washes yourclothes. He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons
are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair redone. He doesn't have
time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over. He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight. He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday. He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries. He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything. He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him. He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see. He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't. He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.

You stay at home and watch TV. He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable. He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and
helicopters all night long."

 

CRC

Remmber no matter how bad it gets it can be worse. I thought I had it bad in the millitary untill I went to Bangladesh. That humbaled me in a way that words could not make you understand.

OGM

 

Yep...It certainly made me stop and give Thanks to the Tiki Gods for just how much I DO have...instead of focusing on all I have to do.....

Made me "right sized".....

 

Yes, there are a many things I'm thankful for. I don't mean to hi-jack this but I've just got to do a partial list.

* Thankful my father in law is still here. He suffered a heart attack in May, his physician said it was nothing come back in a month for further tests. Family pressured him in to seeing a cardiologist. He had a 95% blockage in an artery and HAD suffered a heart attack.
* Thankful my father is doing well. In August he was diagnosed with lung cancer and it had already spread to his lymph nodes and adrenal glands. Chemo is working, he has his good days and not so good days, but another day with family no matter what is a great day.
* Thankful my mother is on the mend. Shortly after my dad started chemo, my mom was working in the yard and fell off of a ladder. She shattered her right Tibia and had to have surgery to put in 2 metal plates, some pins, and do some bone graphs. 10wks after the accident, she can finally bend her knee and put some weight on the leg.
* Thankful for my wife. In May she had an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy that ruptured, sending her into emergency surgery. It was scary as hell to have her collapse in my arms at home, then have to wait for the ambulance to get there. She has recovered and now...
* I'm thankful that our baby on the way is doing fine. Expected date for a new little monkey is May 24th.

There is a lot more that can be listed, but suffice it to say, those are the key points.

Hope y'all have a great turkey day, and say a prayer for our troops, both overseas and here in the states.

 

Definitely NOT a hijack, Ryan....

That's why I started it....We all have so very much to be Grateful for..and thank you for your Gratitude List.....Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

I'm Grateful I get to cook for my Dad tomorrow. He has told me this is his last Thanksgiving. He's ready to go. And that makes me sad....

I'm Grateful for all my dear dear friends that save my bacon on a daily basis.....

I'm Grateful I'm in really good health...

I'm Grateful for knowing that I can do anything ,One day at a time ...that if I thought I would have to keep up for a lifetime...would kill me.

I'm Grateful that my daughter calls me almost every day , and tells me she loves me and Thanks me for how I raised her....


so many more...I'll have to think....

 

Thankful for all my family members & friends; they are the most important thing to me. Thankful that I knew family and friends that have passed on, just lost a friend to cancer a few weeks ago, I'm just glad we had a friendship for 25 years.

Always Grateful for our men and women serving in our armed services many are close friends of mine in war as I type this

Thankful that I stumbled across this board this is the finest group of people I've found on the Net

Happy Thanksgiving all