Give Thanks for What You Have

            Give Thanks for What You Have

           We were sitting in front of Wegman’s, on a Saturday morning, enjoying coffee and breakfast. We had been to the gym this morning and were languid from the exercise. Wegmans is a favorite haunt of ours in Amherst. Any number of people have looked me up here. One wanted me to write his life story. Others had differing requests. I began to remember what it was like when toiling in the vineyards of the vote. When you won a big election, the favor line stretched around the block with supplicants. When you lost, you sat by yourself.

        The array of shoppers passing by is always fascinating. There are a million stories here, many as yet untold. As we enjoyed the cooling zephyr of a morning breeze, we watched one young mother struggling to place her daughter in a small wheel chair. The four-year old appeared to have a rather severe affliction of cerebral palsy. After she was properly secured, the young mother stepped back. Her three-year-old insisted that he would push the wheel chair of his sister into the store. It was a heart grabbing moment that made you both want to smile and tear up at the same moment. This young lad, at age three, was already being sensitized to the often-difficult daily plight of the handicapped. Bless his mother for her sensibilities.

       It gave us pause not only to reflect both on how touching the scene was but also in how fortunate we both were to be in good health and have had the life we have in our “over thrity nine” years.  It also reminded us that we, like many others, don’t fully appreciate what we have until it is taken from us. Over the years, we have had our share of family and personal travails. Everyone has them. We weathered them, as a matter of course, like most people do. No one promised us a rose garden and indeed there are always thorns in everyone’s garden. 

       We remarked idly about several people and family members who complained much about their lot in life. It can be exasperating at times to listen to the “complainers” carp about how difficult things are for them. I wish they could focus on scenes like we had just viewed, of those wonderful children interacting with each other to overcome one of life’s hurdles. In fact, we wish everyone would just take a moment to say Thank you for the blessings the good Lord had showered us. Many in the world go to bed hungry each night. Many face a bleak and hopeless future. And here we sat, enjoying the benefits of life made possible by living in one of the greatest and most prosperous countries in the world. We have come to say thank you often, in realization of what we were given. We also try, whenever possible, to help those around us with our limited means. It is another way of saying thanks for what we have.

       It was a thoughtful coffee session, enjoyed while sitting in our outside social office in front of Wegmans. The sun was out and the temps were in the seventies, another blessing provided free of charge.

When next you find yourself feeling aggrieved by what life has given you, you might want to take a good look around you and appreciate the many blessings that you have. And if it motivates you to do a few good deeds for others, it will make you feel even better about yourself and your lot in life. Be grateful for what you have. Thank others for what they add to the quality of your life and appreciate the hand you have been dealt in the great card game of life. We sure do.

                                             -30-

                                          (638 words)

                                    Joseph Xavier Martin