Thank God That I'm Alive

I saw this on Pinterest a couple of days ago and it has stuck with me ever since. At the time, I automatically thought to myself, "Thank God I thank God every night for my family and friends, our cozy house, our jobs we love, and our wonderful life." Since then, it has popped up in my thoughts here and there but really hit me as I was driving home tonight.

My friend and I went to see the movie version of The Help tonight. I loved the book (I listened to it on audio, which I think was fantastic) and I wasn't sure how I would like the movie but, in this case, it is definitely a movie that did the book justice, and maybe even moreso in a sense. The movie really brought the book to life for me. Sometimes it's hard for me to visualize when I'm reading, especially when the book is set in the past. The Help is well written and I actually did visualize pretty much what I saw in the movie but it still made it so much more real for me.

After the movie, my friend and I talked about how horrible the situation was in the south for African American people and how horribly they were treated. As we were talking about this, my friend reminded me of how close the Civil Rights movement was in terms of history. It was the 1960's. In the whole history of the United States, let alone the world, the 1960's was not that long ago. When I took U.S. History in high school the class barely even made it to the 1960's (which is a shame...).

I got into my car and headed home. And then I was overcome with the feeling of just how great my life is. My life is not perfect: the laundry in my hamper is overflowing and my 1-year-old thinks it's funny to hit me when he's mad...and so many other complaints I could type BUT my life is my life and no matter what is happening, I know that I still have a countless things to be thankful and happy for in my life.

This is when the tears just careened down my cheeks. I thought about the loneliness Ms. Celia feels. I thought about how horrible Hilly is and the hatred and misunderstanding she represents. I thought about sweet Mae Mobley. I thought about the way people treated other people during that time period...and how some of that hatred still exists today. You can imagine how much more blubbery I got as I realized that by the time I made it home to write this post it would be September 11th.

It makes me sad that people treat other people as poorly as they do sometimes. It also makes me proud to know that I recognize this and hope I can be someone who shows compassion and respect for others. I can teach my kids how to be kind to other people. I can do my best to express to family, friends, and strangers that I value them. I may be just one little person in this giant world, but that doesn't mean I can't make a difference in someone's life.

Thank God for everything in my life - the good and the bad. The tough parts of life help me appreciate the great parts of life. September 11th is a perfect example of how life can change in an instant and also of how people can come together and support each other.

I am extremely thankful for this blog. I'm glad I get to share my perspective on life. Whether people read this or not, it's here, and hopefully it is reaching at least one person who gets something out of reading what I have to say. I haven't updated this blog since April and a post was looooooong overdue. I promise to post more often - for myself and for my kiddos. I realize how much this is a chronicle and celebration of their lives as much as it is about me. Thank you to everyone who still reads this blog! I appreciate you!

I say that everyday needs to be a day of thanksgiving. Stop and think about what you are thankful for. Revel in the minute and the grandiose. Because what if it's all gone tomorrow?