Editorial: We Are So Blessed and Don't Even Know It

Most of the time, we have no idea how blessed we are. We walk around completely oblivious, focusing on our problems and complaining about how our lives aren't perfect or amazing or whatever. But we have no clue what others are going through, or how much someone else might long to have even one of our "awful" days because it would be such a relief from what they're dealing with. (They'd probably love to have our bills too.)

Maybe we're too stressed to feel blessed. But we are.

I was recently reminded of this when a couple of different, very dear friends got hit with really challenging times. The kind that knock you down, beat you up, and leave your breathless. The ones that lurk in the back of a mother's mind and fill her with dread.

For one, it's a grown child self-medicating emotional pain and getting sucked into a world of drugs that led to an overdose and a medically induced coma.

For another, it's a baby with health problems who was just diagnosed with a debilitating and aggressive terminal illness. He may not see his first birthday. His parents are literally living moment by moment with him.

My heart breaks for my friends and their children. I've known these people for years, and their kids are close in age to mine. I feel ashamed when I catch myself complaining about my own life. Ashamed to complain about my autistic teenager who is failing high school and driving me insane, or the preschooler who still poops his pants, or the baby who won't stop eating the entire house. (He's like a puppy, he chews on everything!)

They are challenging, but they are also healthy and happy.

Life is not perfect, but it's not supposed to be. It's messy and crazy and beautiful all at once. It lifts you up, throws you down, takes your breath away and sometimes gives it back. Cherish it for what it is, and whatever point you're at. And try not to beat yourself up too much. Life will do that for you, free of charge!

In the end, we really don't know what tomorrow will bring. But it will come, whether we want it to or not. In the meantime, don't miss out on what's beautiful today.

So count your blessings. They are worth more than money, more than gold. They are worth everything.

My littlest blessing