Everyday is a blessing

I thought I was having a bad day.  Nothing seemed to be going right.  The kids had been fighting from the moment they woke up and now I had just discovered that we had an ant infestation in our pantry.  They. Were. Everywhere.  I just wanted to scream.  Or run away and hide.

And then I remembered.

I remembered the fire in Qatar that had occurred only the day before and I felt shamed.  I wasn’t having a bad day.  Next to the children and the carers who died in the fire on Monday, I was fortunate.  Fortunate to be alive.  Fortunate to be able to hear my children fighting.  Fortunate to still be here to deal with these ants.  Fortunate to be hosting my own damn pity party.  It grounded me and reminded me that everyday is a blessing.

Tonight we had dinner with friends, and as I sat at that table and enjoyed a lovely meal and fun company, I found myself thinking of how fortunate we are.  Yes, life is hectic at times.  Yes, things are a little tight and yes, raising children does have its challenges, but we are all here.  We still get to be together.

There’s too many bad things that can happen.  So many bad stories in the world that make you hold your loved ones closer.  All these things make me more mindful and aware of what I have and how much it’s worth.

When we got home, Polynesian Princess begged me to let her sleep in our bed.  My knee-jerk reaction was “no”.  She came back with “why not?” and I had no answer.  I thought about the parents of the children lost in Monday’s fire; of how they would give anything to have them back.  How they would love to lie in bed and cuddle their children while they slept.  Just like PP was begging me to do tonight. 

I relented.  Of course I did.  I had no good reason to say no, and quite apart from the fact that the kids love being in bed with us, I love it too.  I don’t love it when Little Warrior kicks us in the head/back/kidneys or face, but the other stuff – the hugs, kisses, sleeping face to face – I love all of that.  I adore it.  So why not say yes while they’re still asking?  Why not, indeed?

So I urge you to embrace the day and accept it as a gift.  Everyday is a blessing.

Namaste

xx