In a blog post a little while back which dealt with the darker side of life, I finished with the words "it's a privilege to be here."
I meant it of course, but I didn't really understand what I was saying.
Life is messy. It's never straight forward.
Sometimes it jumps up and smacks you in the face.
It's easy to become discouraged and to throw in the towel.
I've done that before. In business, sport and personal relationships, sometimes I've hung the head and been unwilling to continue to pay the price. I'm not ashamed of that. Although, there are obviously moments where I wish I could have my time over again. No-one gave us a how to manual when we got here. We've just got to muddle through and make things up as we go along.
Life is learning.
And we learn from mistakes (or so the saying goes)
If so, then I've just about got my PHD.
Somehow, I doubt that, there is still so much to learn. But I am getting better and I'm grateful for that.
I've learned to take pleasure in the simple things. I understand now that you can't buy happiness and that the greatest riches to be had are in the simple acts of giving.
I'm grateful that there are still many wonderful people in the world prepared to share and to help others.
I'm thankful that I live in a place where the air is till fresh and the water runs clean.
I'm grateful that I spent an hour on Telegram this morning speaking to Rob Willman about a variety of subjects and learning little pieces of a puzzle that I'd pretty much forgotten.
I'm grateful for friends that have stuck by me when it would have been very easy to let me go.
I'm thankful for my family who refused to let me drown in my own dark cesspool
I'm grateful that I still have the opportunity to help people.
For many years I saw only darkness. The light was always there. I'd just shut it out.
I'm grateful that I'm walking in the light.
Peace
If there were no darkness, you wouldn't know how the light looks like...
We all have our ups and downs, and it always looks that what our "stuff" that we are living, nobody else is living... it is the worst, and hardest... and it is... because we are the main actor in the story...
I'm also grateful for all those dark things that are happened... They make me as I am now...
Thanks for sharing your personal things with us... It isn't easy...
Thanks for the feedback - yes its all part of the journey. Light and dark Good and bad Hope and fear Joy and sorrow. One helluva ride