I am Grateful for the Human Spirit

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That blazes triumphantly from the eyes of good people everywhere.



Perhaps one of my biggest obstacles is a tendency towards the dramatic - I feel astutely the prickles of my pride, and I dwell on the terrible things that happen to and around me.  But every now and then I am sent a reminder, soft but clear, of just how great things are in my life.  How lucky I am.  How blessed I am, even when things are not going right.

The other day Josh saw a story on the news about a house that burned down.  And with tears in his eyes, he turned to me and said:

"Mom I never realized our house might burn down."

I thought this was kind of funny.  I replied "We have smoke detectors to keep us safe.  We'd be ok."

"But Mom, we would lose all our nice stuff!"  he sniffled.

"The most important things are right here.  Me and you, and your dad and Carly in the other room."

"I know Mom, but we have a lot of nice things!" he choked out.

"We do have a lot of nice things, but they are things."  This did not console him.  "Josh, how many people do you know whose houses have burned down?"

He thought about this for a moment and the tears cleared away.  "Nobody."

"That's right, it doesn't happen very often and we have smoke alarms just in case.  We would be ok."

And we would be ok!  We do have many nice things, I am so fortunate to say we are blessed with many beautiful possessions.  But they are replaceable, temporary, temporal things.  And if all those things went away, I would still be a lucky woman.

Go here to see that human spirit shining through.  (And, you don't have to be Mormon to appreciate the message shared about Thanksgiving there.)

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