GRATITUDE 7.25.08

Tonight as I enter the confessional, I do so from a different physical location. Tonight I begin my vacation with and am visiting with my college friends, Lee and Jane. I’ll spend what promises to be a relaxing few days with them.

I’m grateful for the safe journey I experienced as I drove here. There have certainly been angels watching over me all week as I have driven. Last Saturday evening, I accidentally ran a red light. Luckily, the other driver saw me and we avoided a collision. Midweek, while driving down the road, a driver who was in the lane beside me, paying no attention to his surroundings nearly ran right into me as he was changing lanes. Fortunately, I swerved and avoided another accident. It’s times like this that truly make me aware that a power greater than myself is in control and that there are angels watching over me.

This has been an absolutely huge week in my life. As I wrote earlier in the week, I celebrated my 35th Birthday with several very dear friends on Sunday evening. I was so honored that these wonderful people took time out of their busy lives to accept my invitation and to come together to celebrate me, my life, where I’ve been and where I am headed. It was without a doubt the best birthday I’ve ever experienced and one of the most relaxing and happiest days of my life.

I also had the opportunity this week to spend time with Hunter, another very dear friend of mine from college. He was in Birmingham to present a training program to the county health department. We were able to have dinner together a couple of nights. It was nice to hang out and to spend some time reminiscing about things that certainly have long been forgotten—or things that should have been.

I’m grateful for the news that my company reaffirmed to us today, that they are very serious about their no layoff policy. While there is still a little fear in my mind and the minds of others with whom I work, we have been reminded how fortunate we are to work for a private company who takes its pledge to its employees very seriously. That means a lot in these trying economic times.

Here’s my confession: I have so very much for which to be grateful. I’m blessed far beyond measure. I have some of the most wonderful people in my life, people both from my past and present. As I’ve said before, and will no doubt say again, when I pause to take a good hard look at the things in my life for which I am most grateful, it is not the “Things” for which I am most grateful at all. Rather, it is about the PEOPLE who touch my life constantly with their love, their support and presence in my life. The older I get, the more grateful I am for that simple fact.