Perspective

This morning I was out of butt camp again due to my lower back. While it had improved significantly since Monday, it was still too achy to tackle a cardio/abs day. I have to admit - I've done a lot of internal griping about getting older and all these random aches and pains, hair growth where you don't want it, difficulty in losing even a pound or two, and just all the stuff that comes with each passing year.

And then I shut up. Because I thought about all those people I know who would like to have my paltry list of aches and pains and gripes. There's my friend from grade school who is in the middle of chemo and will be talking to doctors soon about a bone marrow transplant. There's the father of Sam's college roommate who is battling diseases that have robbed him of his health as well as his kidneys, and who goes to dialysis three times a week. There's the blogger whose blog I read who today talked about her mom who died from Parkinson's disease at age 54. There's Pat Summit who faces an uncertain future. There are facebook friends who have battled all kinds of diseases, much more serious that I could imagine.

I realized that whatever I have to deal with should be a joy, because it means I am still here, alive and able to enjoy all the blessings that my life gives me.

Thank you, God, for these and all my gifts,

and please bless all those who carry much greater burdens than I.

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Today's blessings: Red Lobster with Maribeth and Molly; ToysRUS/Target with Maribeth; picking up Lindley at day care with Steve and getting us some Pinkberry; babysitting Lindley tonight with Steve and Maribeth