Thursday, March 26, 2015

Gratitude for so much



It is the last Thursday of the month (smell ya later March) and this means to write about what you are grateful for.  One can join in on the blog hop fun over at the wonderful Vidya Sury's blog and read other people's posts about what they are grateful for or you can join in on the fun.

1. Health!! Now as most of you know I have been ill for over a week and, well, that sucks. You know the feeling-it starts off  with some coughing. We ignore it but as times passes the throat feels like you just swallowed a wet, moldy woollen mitten and your coughing turns to hacking. Your sweating and feeling really hot but then a wave of ice cubes  comes over you and you shiver like you just saw Justin Bieber naked.  We have all been there and, it passes and you start to feel better. Some people have chronic health issues and I do, but it isn't going to get me down! The most difficult health issues is finding the strength to continue on and be happy with the life that you are leading. I lost a dear person this past month...he was only 61 years old. He was my ex's brother and he was a good man even though he did not believe it. He did not commit suicide but he gave up on life. His marriage went over 20 years ago and he let her have his home and land- he never fought for it. From that moment, he started to slowly slide. He let the negative feelings and self-talk take hold. He began to drink more and he lived in an apartment that looked like he had just moved in but yet, he had been there for years. When his mom passed, he went further within but when his dad passed less than a year later, he was "destroyed" as he put it. He refused to look at the positive and one could see a decline that he was stubbornly and consciously aware of  maintaining...if that makes sense. His heart was not good and he had a blood clot in his leg. He told lies to people knowing they were concerned but refused to receive any help. He did not take his medicine but continued to drink and drink and smoke. He was found in bed....dead. A life he consciously made sure to destroy. It was a sad life that didn't need to be lived in this way and he didn't need to die this way. So why am I grateful? He has taught me how to be grateful for my life even when things don't work out the way I thought it should be. Crap happens...let's reflect, cry, be angry but rise above and move forward and be happy with all that life give to you.

2. My Hubby!  Now this man can infuriate me because...he can:) He will start talking before I finish my sentence. He will "zone out" while I am talking and then start on a completely different topic than what I was speaking about. He must have things all in their place because he is an OCD zombie. He has the patience of ....well he has no patience except in certain areas like his art or when he is fixing something around the house. He is my ADHD man and he deserves a cape and some nifty cute shorts to wear. He has the confidence to stand  with his hands on his hips singing the MEmemememeeee song:) I often tell him wear his throne is and that it needs a flush. This man has been here for me when I have been sick. He makes sure the house is cleaned, he has made all the dinners and has made sure I am resting. Earlier in the month, when my friend came over, he cleaned the whole house so I would not have to worry about that when I came home from work. He made sure I took my medicine and rubbed Vicks on me. When I looked like something from the Amnityville Horror, he still looked at me with love in his eyes...awwwwwwww(ok don't wretch). He is also a brilliant artist and I will showcase some of his works in May. He has made me some beautiful things that I adore.

3. My best friend! She and I are soul mates  and I love her to bits...besides she knows where the bodies are hidden:) We can finish each other's sentences and we will be thinking about the same thing almost at the same time. We have known each other since 1985 and have gone through ups and downs but always together. Her children are finally of age where she can escape, I mean, travel with me on little adventures. We just went, last year, to the Jimmy Stewart museum and the Lucille Ball museum and enjoyed every moment. This month, she came over and we had a sleep over because big kids can do this too! We watched "Harvey" (with Jimmy Stewart) and a couple of Carol Burnett shows (Went With The Wind) and laughed and laughed. Laughter with your best friend can't get any better.

So there ya go my top 3 things to be grateful about. I am looking forward to the A to Z challenge, warmer days (had snow today), creating cards, my animals, my OJ and soda water and movies:) What have you been grateful for?


48 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry about your ex-brother-in-law. That is so sad to watch someone just give up on life.
    Glad your husband is your hero!

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    1. He is my sweetie and yes it is sad but I hope he has found some peace now

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  2. Chronic health crap can suck, but crap does happen and we have to find a way to keep on a trucking. Good to have your husband as a hero and a best friend too.

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  3. Sounds like the hubs and your bff are wonderful people.
    So sorry about your ex's brother. Sounds like he was determined to self destruct.

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    1. He was set to ruin his life but what a teaching tool for the people left behind

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  4. Health, hubby, and BF- three fabulous things to be thankful for for sure! Loved reading your reasons. :) Sorry to hear about your ex-brother-in-law. Very sad!
    ~Jess

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    1. My hubby and best friend are just wonderful in all mu gushiness

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  5. Sorry about your ex's brother; 61 is so young; terrible he didn't see the joy of life. Your hubby though sounds like a troooper to take care of you when you were sick; I do hope you are feeling MUCH better than last week! Always good to have a BFF and to be grateful for all we have!

    betty

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    1. I am slowly feeling better but it is hanging on. We can learn from my bro in law (ex) to enjoy life to the fullest and have your loved ones in it

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  6. It's so sad when someone just gives up; I feel your loss and I don't even know him. Sorry, dear.

    Hubbys make the world a better place. I can't imagine having a bad one. He's my rock.

    Hope all the crud has left you, sweet Birgit, and you're on the mend for good!

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    1. Crud still with me but slowly going. It is sad about my friend but he teaches us what to do with our own life

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  7. I bet you are a fun friend. I am grateful for Franklin. He would never run away from me.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Thank you--I think I keep my friends in good humour:)

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  8. That's a bummer about your friend giving up on life. It's sad to see it happen. And frustrating because only the person can choose to pull himself out of it. I'm glad you have your hubby and bff. They sound wonderful.

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    1. Hubby and BFF are all to me:) You are right about my ex bro in law who was a good man but only he could seek the help which he did not. He taught me what not to be

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  9. My condolences, Birgit. It's so sad when someone's spirit dies long before their body!
    I'm glad you're better and that your hubby took great care of you! Here's to many more happy days with your friend!

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    1. We can learn from someone who decides not to use their life as a valuable rose. I take care of my hubby too so it works:)

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  10. Sorry that you're still not well and that you've lost someone close to you. Like you, I'm grateful to have a wonderful husband and good friends.

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  11. So sad to rad about your exBIL. What a waste of a life, poor chap. Glad you're feeling better. We do have much to be thankful for. I'm looking fwd to the A-Z. Have a fab weekend, Birgit!
    hugs, Asha

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    1. Thank you! It is a sad waste but doesn't he teach us how wonderful life truly is:)

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  12. I do know what you mean about a stubborn adherence to decline. How sad for him.

    Top 3 things I'm grateful for at this moment: a working ceiling fan (we're having another heat wave), my sore throat is finally lessening and I'm starting to feel better, and this cold actually (because it gives me an excuse to get out of going to a birthday party tomorrow).

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    1. The nasty cold is going around so I am glad you are feeling better and that you can get out of that birthday party:) We are having -12C this eve...again!

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  13. Sorry to hear about your ex's brother. How sad.

    You totally cracked me up with the "moldy mitten" and shivering like you saw Bieber naked! You're so funny. Yay for helpful hubbies with strong stomachs and love in their eyes and for soul-mate friends. Thanks for the laughs! Have a great weekend. :)

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    1. Yes when one is sick one feels disgusting. Thankfully I am slowly on the mend. I know I am not the only one and hope everyone starts to feel better-this is going around

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  14. Great list! So sorry about your ex's brother. It's sad that people let the bitterness swallow them. We'll all have difficulties in our lives but we must rebound and move forward. It's the only way to live.

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  15. This is such a beautiful and personal post. I'm sorry to hear of your losses, but you have such a positive attitude and moving forward is the only thing we can do.

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    1. Thank you and you are so right! Forward with positive energy is the only way to go

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  16. Sorry to hear about your ex's brother. I'm glad to hear you use it to inspire you to move forward and be grateful for what you have, though.

    Oh, and I have an ADHD woman, so everything you said... yeah, I can identify with that. Nothing like telling her an important story about my day, only for her to derail it with a completely different topic. Then when I say, "So back to my story..." she'll invariably go, "Huh? What story?"

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    1. Hahahaaaaaa! We can relate living with the ADHD person:) The song "You spin me right round, baby, right round, Like record, Baby, Right round, round, round always goes through my head:)

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  17. Such an inspiring post. Thanks for sharing. Sorry about all troubles.

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  18. I'm grateful to be back home safe and sound.
    Hope you are much much better.

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    1. Glad you are back and hope you had a great time. I am slowly getting there:)

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  19. March has been a brutal month for you! I am grateful for all of the sunshine this weekend - felt hopeful.

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  20. Hard losing a good friend. And husbands are wonderful and annoying as all get out at times. Like most people, only since they're with us a lot, they're more wonderful and more annoying. :-) Hope that flu bug is totally gone by now.

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    1. This bug is still hanging on but I am on the path to health

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  21. You are blessed! Not everyone gets to enjoy the things you have. Money can't buy them. ;)

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    1. Thank you and I think I am-Money has nothing to do with it even if it helps a little:)

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  22. Glad to read your post, its a mix of both sadness and also joy - sad to hear about your ex brother and also your health, but happy to hear about your hubby and your friend... that's how life is, and I appreciate your optimism and positive attitude towards life... thanks for sharing..

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    1. Thank you but even in sadness there is time to be grateful as it reminds us what we actually have

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  23. It's so important to count our blessings every day. Even in diversity there are hidden blessings. So glad you were able to find them. I'm glad you're feeling better.

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    1. Thank you so much and we need to count them each day

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  24. You just warmed my heart. I'm not sure what's more endearing about your hubs - his rubbing Vick's on you or his cleaning the whole house. The house-cleaning, definitely. The house-cleaning.

    Sorry about your friend that passed. There's intentional suicide and there's letting yourself die because you don't care to live. Either is tragic and sad. I fully agree, too, that's it's a conscious choice to embrace vs reject life - much easier said than done, but it's the truth. So many survive wretched circumstances because they appreciate what little they have.

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