This morning I woke up, I was able to breathe, my heart was
beating, I had two functional eyes, two functional ears, functional mouth, and
all the internal organs were functioning the way they should be. So many people do not have that.
This morning I would up in a warm bed, I was able to get out
and go into to a warm house, eat fresh hot food, enjoy the comfort of a padded
chair. So many people do not have
that. I took the dog outside to go
to the bathroom. I was able to
listen to the birds, to see a squirrel run across the yard, and a deer loping
through the woods. So many people
do not have that. I was able to
smell the fresh spring air and to feel the chill of the morning against my
skin. I settled into my work for
the day answering emails, writing letters, and working on a new project that I
hope will empower nurses to become extraordinary. I am able to do work that matters. So many people do not have that.
As I go throughout my day today, I know that I am going to
have to deal with deadlines, time constraints, unhappy customers, financial
issues, and other problems that come with living, but if I approach them with
love and compassion, then tonight I will be able to settle back in to a nice,
warm, comfortable bed and so many people do not have that. I have been blessed to be born into a
country that loves freedom, to have chosen a career that allows me to help
people, and to be part of a family that loves me. Today when I pass the man who is sleeping on the park bench
with all his worldly possessions and a black trash bag wore on his back, I will
look not with disdain but instead, with immense gratitude for I have been
blessed in so many ways every day and many people do not have that.