Thankful Thursday: Remember to be grateful, even when we don't think we can be.

Today I’m going to do something a bit different.  I wasn’t sure what to write today and so I just put my fingers to the keyboard and came up with this.  I hope that’s okay.

This Thankful Thursday is the first in a month set aside to be thankful.  For us to remember to be thankful for the things that have happened to make us who we are.  Whether they are good things.  Or bad things. 

And it’s the start of a season that is set aside for us to be more giving.  Granted we should be that way all year, but no matter your religion November and December are those months that we spend a few extra minutes each day trying to harder to be the best people we can be.  Or at least I hope so.  J

Sometimes that’s hard.  Especially when so many things around us are going wrong and we see someone who’s doing so much better than us.  Which face it, it happens all the time in writing.

Three years ago, we were struggling with the onset of my daughter’s illness and no one knew what was going on.  I was frustrated, exhausted and fighting with my frustrated and exhausted husband.  Every where we’d turn, new parents were happily playing with their seemingly well-behaved children, while we were struggling to maintain our sanity with a child who seemed to hate sleep and loathe being in anyone’s arms, but mine.

Then came the worst days of our lives, the day we learned my daughter’s heart was enlarged and possibly failing.  We spent the next several months in and out of hospitals, until we found out she had systemic JRA. 

Now every day is a struggle.  Is it going to be a good day, or a bad one? But through it all I’ve tried to remain grateful.  Some days are easier than others, but every night before bed I try to think of one thing I'm grateful for.  Even if that one thing is I'm grateful for the day to be over with.  

But here's a list of the things I'm most grateful for because of this.  I'm grateful for the fact that I was observant enough to know there was something wrong with my daughter, besides being cranky, and insisted the Dr’s run more tests to find out what was wrong.  For the doctor who finally listened to me and saw the enlarged heart.  For the countless Doctors and nurses since then. 

For my family, who’s stood by me and her, through it all.  For my husband, for helping me make sure the Drs listened, for my daughter, who despite her illness is the sweetest child ever, and for my writing, which has helped me keep my sanity through it all.

So let’s hear it.  What event in your life was awful and what are you thankful for because of it?