G R A T E F U L:-Ric.
Hil and I decided to do our own thing on this go round.
So we decided to pick topics and go for it.
Ya know?
Share our feelings about a particular subject.
I chose: gratefulness.
Warning: I am NOT about to preach. Trust me:)
I'm 20. A fairly decent age. Young to most,
but eh, still considered 20 years OLD.
Still I will have to say that out of all these past 20
years, the hardest thing for me to learn was being grateful.
I grew up....poor, to say the MOST.
Living in the projects (Beacon) with 3 siblings
and a single parent (Mom), should have humbled
me more than it did. But no. I was always comparing what
I had to everybody else. Always bickering about
dinner, or refusing to wear off-brand clothes, and
even going so far as to disown where I lived, and who my family was.
Ashamed would be the most common word used but
UNGRATEFUL is more appropriate. True enough,
the basis of my argument was : I didn't ask to be here,
you laid down to have me.
Looking back, I don't see how my mother managed to love
an undeserving soul like myself. She never responded.
Always continued doing her work but now,
I know the pain she must have felt hearing her own son,
disrespect her in such a manner.
I can't even type this without getting teary eyed.
I was a selfish little bastard.
Fast forward to today, and all I can do is apologize.
I can't take back my words nor can I take back my actions.
My mother has long since forgiven me.
And it took me until recently, to forgive myself.
Readers, if at any point in your life, you feel as if,
there's nothing to be thankful for,
stop what you're doing, inhale, exhale,
and then be grateful the Lord allowed you to take that breath.
Still, if that does not make you a believer, stand up,
and take a few steps, then thank the Lord for allowing you to walk.
But wait, some of us are hard headed, so do one final test,
notice your surroundings. Notice you can feel this keyboard,
you can hear your keystrokes, and you can see the monitor,
now shout praises. Now you know you've got something to be grateful for.
There are people in this world who are blind,
deaf, mute, nor can they walk.
There are some who are mentally retarded
and emotionally unstable.
There are children, CHILDREN, that have not
had a bite to eat this week and there are some children
that won't see the end of this week b/c they will starve to death.
There are famished and impoverished families all across this world,
and it's time we stop worrying about what we DON'T HAVE
and be GRATEFUL for what we do.
I'm not speaking of something I've heard about,
I'm talking from experience.
When I signed up for this blog, I never agreed
that I was a perfect person who did no wrong.
I am HUMAN. Some days, I'll complain about the weather
and get aggravated b/c my car won't work,
or even cry a little bit b/c I'm sick. But no more
I’m determined to appreciate the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me thus far.
Friends, what I’m trying to say is,no matter how hard life gets, find the good and be thankful.
This road of life is long, bumpy, full of unsuspected hitchhikers and sometimes
it seems as if you’re riding down a dark road with no headlights. But as long
as Jesus is your driver, you’re headed in the right direction.
Gratefully Yours,
Ricardo H.
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