Monday, June 1, 2015

Blessings

I am blessed far beyond my reckoning. So are you, if you are reading this.

There is so much in life that we take for granted, that we don't even think about. Like being able to flick a switch and your house lights up. Or heat in the winter without having to build or maintain a fire. Or indoor toilets.

I have found myself being quite angry recently because I am unsure what I want my career to look like, I am unsure about money, I am worried about bills. But how can something so insignificant as money really make me angry? I needed a perspective shift and I luckily found one. Now that I truly realize what a complete miracle it is to be alive every day, I'm choosing to not stress about the little things, or even some big things anymore.  Cause it could be a lot worse.

Recently I watched a documentary on YouTube called, "Hidden Killers of the Tudor Home." I love historical documentaries, especially the ones that delve into what life was like for our ancestors.  Most of the time we like to think that life was so much easier back then because they were dumber, they didn't have to worry about GMOs or nuclear bombs or climate change. But things weren't always sunshine and roses. They didn't have medication or vaccines. They didn't understand antibacterial precautions. They had to live through the invention of chimneys and the industrial revolution. You could catch dysentery or typhoid and die. You could get buried alive. Women were more likely to die during childbirth.

I am completely astounded that human beings have survived as long as we have. It's amazing if you think about it. Sure, in the history of the world we haven't lasted as long as the dinosaurs or anything, but the fact that a species with no claws or sharp teeth or protective coating has come to dominate the planet is just incredible, especially due to how difficult it is to give birth.

I know that sometimes, when anger strikes, the last thing you want to hear is "It could be worse". But that's what I'm getting at here. The lives we live with electricity, cars, heat, excess food, and technology are blessed every single day. So the next time that jackass cuts you off on the way to work, pause for a moment, breathe, and just think of something that you are grateful for.

And now I'll leave you with a song. This song really captures my mood today, and I will be trying very hard to remember it anytime that I feel negative.

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