If you can't recognize what you have now, then how will you ever recognize abundance? I wish everyone could take a trip to a truly poor country where just a bowl of rice is seen as a luxury.
Sometimes we need to look at others to actually see and appreciate what we have.
This reminds me of one of my dear friends I used to visit.
She was always in a good mood and yet things in her life seemed to be a lot worse than most.
I would be having a bad day and when I talked to her and heard the things that were happening in her life, I always felt like my problems weren't that big of a deal and yet she always handled it in an amusing way.
Never did you hear her pity herself or say things like, 'I just can't seem to get ahead.
' Nope, she just marched forward with a sense of humor about life.
Here is an example; she almost lost one of her children to a disease, she and her husband had to sell the house and everything they owned to relocate to a cheaper area so that they could pay doctor bills.
Do you think they gave up? Nope.
Instead, they opened a business.
One day she called me frantically to come to the house and help her get a hanger out of her breast that slipped when she was hanging clothes and went right through her breast.
It hurt like crazy but she saw it with a sense of humor, as always.
I could go on and on about things that happened to them that shook their world that would have caused most people to throw in the towel, but my point here is that things will happen.
That's life.
It's not what happens in your life, it's how you handle it.
However, learn to look for the good in everything, even if it's not visible at the time.
Oh, and by the way; the doctor said her son would not live.
They refused to accept that and today, many years later her son has grown into a handsome young man, he looks great and has become a personal trainer.
She has been one of my greatest inspirations.
I bet if you look around you right now and really gave thought to what you have; physically, mentally, personally, you would be amazed.
Do you have a job? Many people don't.
Maybe you get unemployment? Many people can't.
Do you have food? Many people don't.
Maybe you get food stamps? Many people can't.
Maybe you have someone special in your life? Many people have lost their loved ones.
That's just a couple of examples.
I could go on and on, not to mention all the TV sets you probably own, or your cell phone.
Are you starting to see that you are already rich? If you want more, our great country gives everyone that option also.
It's just that we have become so spoiled that we are always looking for something for nothing.
I'm not saying that everyone is like that, you know if you are one of them.
I'm just trying to point out your riches so you can get past the victim mentality.
Not to sound old fashion, but I like to reflect on the olden days where the things we have now are unheard of, I mean way back.
When perfumed soap was considered a luxury and only kings and queens were allowed to have it.
Can you imagine something as simple as soap? The soap they had could not compare to the varieties we have today, for pennies.
This is the kind of stuff that keeps me grounded and makes me realize just how rich we all are.
Compare the past, you can learn and appreciate how far we have come and how much we have by reflecting on the past.
You can learn the most from the older people in your life.
Appreciate them and listen to their stories.
Look at other peoples hardships so you can appreciate your blessings.
There's always someone worse off than you.
Don't focus on your past, always move forward.
However use the past as an example to give you strength for the future.
Just be able to see your possessions at this very moment and then grow from there.