Write your sorrows in sand and your blessings in stone

You're right.  That isn't an original.  In fact I just saw it on the wall as I was finishing up a massage.  Yes, that is right. I had a massage today.  Talk about a blessing to write in stone.

But it fit right in with something I'd been thinking about earlier today.  And yes, if you're counting, this is three blog postings in one day.  Ah, the benefits of a vacation day!

Anyway I woke up this morning to the sound of birds singing.  Yes, it is spring!  So I'm laying in bed thinking that I can hear the birds.  And then I stop and think what a blessing that is.  And then I stop and think what a blessing it is that I can hear.  Just that.  I can hear.  Today I can hear.  It's not that my hearing has been in any question or an issue recently that I should be extra joyful that I can hear.  It just struck me that I can, and am grateful.  I can hear.

I can see.  Today I can see.   Tomorrow, who knows?

I can receive and enjoy a massage. Such a luxury!

I can swallow.  I can breathe.  I can sleep.  I can stretch.  I can walk.  I can run (not fast or long, mind you, but I can run.)  I can laugh.  I can cry.  I can smell.  I can taste.  I can cook for myself and for others.  I can run into old friends and greet them with a hug and a smile and love.  I can write these blessings.  I can remind myself to remember my blessings.  I can choose to not complain.

And I think that's what I need to remind myself most.  I can choose to not complain.  No matter how I may be feeling about any situation, I am blessed beyond my ability to list.  Yes, I have had sorrows.  We all have.  I can remind myself to write those in the sand, where water and wind wipe them away quickly.

And I can remind myself that no matter what tomorrow brings, whether sorrow or blessing, it does not wipe away or diminish the blessing of today any more than the blessing of today removes the sorrow of yesterday or make it less than it was.

But complaining is an easy, lazy activity.  It takes no thought to complain.  It takes no heart to complain.  It is something that we all do quite well and are very practiced at.  In contrast it is usually an intentional activity to list blessings and choose to focus on those.  Similar to writing them in stone - it takes work to write in stone.  It takes time and thought and even tools conducive to accomplishing the task. 

But it is a worthwhile task that changes both the writer and the stone and the reader of the stone, for chances are that there are many common blessings that we all share and so easily forget - especially when life is good and sweet and the blessings abound even more. 

Such is the nature of all of us.  But today, I can hear.  I am blessed.  And I remember that I am blessed.