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Count Your Blessings
August 2, 2022
It's so easy these days to get caught up in the problems of everyday life. On top of any personal issues one may have, the condition of the world around us often adds to our distress.
- Turn on the News and learn about frequent mass shootings. Hear about hundreds of police who refuse to intervine in Uvalde Texas while 19 elementary students and two teachers are gunned down.
- Listen to talk radio on the way to work (if you're lucky enough to have a job) and hear about the latest usurpation of our Constitutionally guaranteed, God given rights. Our elected servants have taken it upon themselves to become our masters.
- To protect us from a virus with a survival rate of more than 99%, we are being forced to take an experimental gene therapy "vaccine" that has proven to be more deadly than the virus itself. If we don't comply, we lose our livelihood. Children who want to attend the public schools, that we paid for, must wear cloth face masks or stay home.
- Visit your favorite online news source and read about district attorneys who refuse to prosecute violent, repeat offenders.
- Look to the sky on an otherwise clear day and see the expanding chemical clouds left by high-flying jet aircraft in the misguided, "secret" attempt at geo-engineering, by our government.
- Drive around town and notice the growing number of cameras tracking your every move.
- Hear reports of world-wide droughts, record temperatures, increasing frequency of earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados and other natural disasters.
- Notice the expanding economic gap between the "haves" and "have nots" and the crumbling infrastructure of our once great nation.
The list is endless and it's enough to make a grown man cry.
When we do get wrapped up in this whirlwind of negative events and destructive social trends, it's easy to forget what's really important. Perhaps we should take a few moments each day, to focus on the miracle that is life. Every human being on this planet is a living, breathing miracle. The simple fact that we are conscious and able to use our senses to experience this world is nothing less than astounding!
Regardless of your religious faith, even if you are an atheist and believe that the unfathomably, intricate balance we see throughout the natural world came about by random chance, the very fact that you can consider the question is a miracle.
When we focus our attention on the discouraging news that surrounds us we open our minds to feelings of fear, hate, anxiety, anger, frustration and helplessness. By concentrating on those emotions and acting from that state of mind, we contribute our own energy to the downward spiral.
On the other hand, it's in our power to concentrate our thoughts on the beauty of our world and the miracle of our existence within it.
- Take a deep breath and feel the life-giving air as it fills your lungs.
- Marvel at the intricacy of a blooming flower and smell its fragrance.
- Listen to the sweet song of a passing bird and consider the miracle of its flight.
- Stroke a furry pet, touch a rough sheet of sandpaper or the smooth texture of silk.
- Feel the soothing hot water as it cascades over your body while taking a shower.
- Focus on a cool wind caressing your face and tossing your hair.
- Smell the aroma of fresh coffee or a loaf of bread baking in the oven.
- Enjoy a favorite musical performance and feel the effect on your spirit.
- Again, the list is endless.
I'm not suggesting that we ignore the events of our times and pretend that they don't exist, as knowledge and awareness are critical factors when planning for one's future. All that's needed is a change in how we perceive the world.
Each of us decides within our own conciousness, where to focus the emotional energy of each moment and how to feel about the world around us as the seconds of our lives tick,tick, tick away.
By focusing on the beauty, being aware of the transcient nature of life and feeling positive emotions like love, compassion, joy and courage, we contribute our energy to the healing powers of our universe and do our part in tipping the scale in the direction of light.
Each of us makes that personal choice every minute of every day whether we like it or not.
For those of us who can't conceive of the idea that this glorious creation is a result of random chance, the choice to feel good is much easier because we can add Hope and Faith to our list of emotions.
We know that our Creator has a plan for us and that He is always there to watch over us. We know that this life is only a temporary one and our real existence is in eternity. With this knowledge, it's much easier to view the horrific events of our world as nagging little inconveniences on the road back to our Creator.
Every man and woman, regardless of spiritual beliefs, can chose to spend a few minutes each day, counting his or her blessings. It's an easy short-cut to feeling good and lending one's spirit to a better world.
Jim Brewster is a former US Navy Aircrew Combat Cameraman with extensive training in desert, jungle and cold weather survival. He is a dedicated American patriot whose only king is our Creator.
