I am incredibly tired tonight–Wednesdays are generally tiring, a result of the three-and-a-half hours spent working at the Food pantry each week. As always it was good, gratifying work and the steady flow of clients kept things busy through the afternoon. Upon my arrival home, I fixed myself some dinner and sank onto the couch for a little while. Tonight is one for simple gratitude: for the basic blessing of food in my belly. I came home, opened my refrigerator and cabinets and there was food in there that I could prepare for myself. The feeling of being satisfied, of feeling full after a relatively nutritious meal is something so many of us take for granted. So many people around this country and across the globe do not experience that sense of fullness on a consistent basis, if at all. They go to bed hungry at night and wake up hungry in the morning, sometimes going entire days without sufficient food. Except for those occasions when I intentionally fast, I almost always have access to food and eat until I am satisfied most days. This is a simple, basic need that I am grateful for each day and offer that gratitude in the form of grace each time I have a meal. I never want to take this for granted, though I’m sure I frequently do.
Tonight as I wind down and prepare for sleep I will express my gratitude for relative good health and physical ability. Though I’ve had my share of ailments, serious illnesses or injuries haven’t plagued me. Other than the fact that I don’t sleep particularly well most nights and other issues I’ve been checking out recently, I am blessedly healthy. Again, this is something for which I am grateful and do not take for granted. As I get older I of course become aware that things are slowing down, not working quite so well, etc. And, I am not going to win or even compete for an olympic gold medal, which had been a childhood dream/fantasy growing up. But I am grateful for being physically, mentally, and emotionally in pretty good shape. And for that I am grateful.
I am going to end early this evening as I can hardly keep my eyes open. I am hoping for an unbroken sleep from the time I turn out the light until the first light of morning begins to break. But should I wake in the darkness of early morning as I’ve been of late, I will begin the day as best I can with a heart of gratitude, thankful for another day. Let it be so!
