Thankful

“Celebrate Allen; you have much to be thankful for.”

“Have you ever attempted to count those that love you?”

The above comments were made to my last poem “My Birthday surprise.”

I took these thoughts to my heart and pondered of these words so wise.

What could I say I asked myself in regards to “you have much to be thankful for.”

And as I reflect on this never realized how much was really on my list.

My wife has always seen the light even in the darkness. The good in the bad and

hidden blessings in disguise. She has told me repeatedly…”look for the good”

Therefore listed below are just a few of the things I am thankful for.

I know that if we all were to look, I am sure we can see many great things in our life.

I’m Thankful I am for my wife. For without her only God knows where I would be.

You see, she loved me when I was so unlovable. She loved me when I didn’t even love myself.

She prayed for me then and still does; she lifts me when I am down. Yes, I am thankful for my wife.

I’m Thankful I am for life itself especially when one considers my early days.

Days that were filled with debauchery, youth misspent in dancing with darkness.

Way back then it was “Trust no one over thirty” which was easy to do since

I never ever thought that my third decade I would see. Yes, I am thankful for life.

I’m thankful for my health.  Even after years of self abuse through the misspent years

of my riotous youth, I still have my health to a reasonable degree. There are so many people who cannot enjoy the colors in the sky. Ever so many that fail to hear the sounds of life. Countless are the numbers who shall never walk. Yes, I’m thankful for my health.

I’m thankful to have a home and a job. With the world in a crazy spin and so many that do without, I can say this and without any doubt. I’m thankful for a home and a job…I’m thankful for many more things than what I have listed thus far.

You know if we just stop and think sometimes about what we say; if we were to just take a minute to count our blessings and quit complaining about this and that, if we could just realize the power that our own words carry. We would then perhaps see how fortunate we truly are…I know that I am.

“Have you ever attempted to count those that love you?”

In all honesty, no I have not, but in this pondering I have come to see that it is a thought which has a given absolute. Outside of family I cannot truly say or know the depths or degrees of love that others may have for me I can only say and I do so without a shadow of doubt that God loves me and to me that this is the greatest love of all. Thank you all for everything. God Bless.

Allen 2/27/2007