Life's Best Blessings

When I started this article, my first title was Life’s Best Things and I immediately remember that life is not about “Best Things”, it is about Life’s Best Blessings. This article was first submitted -12-19-2009.

I am a person who comes from humble beginnings, humble surroundings and just about humble everything. That is not hard for me to say.

I do not set myself any longer on gaining momentum within a career; that has passed. I am older, wiser and I am no longer searching for something or anything for that matter.

I am dutifully writing to be productive in these latter years to yes, make a few dollars here and there, but I am also fulfilling a long, heartfelt dream and desire.

Do I think that my work is perfect or am I a professional…absolutely not, but you know what I can learn, I can grow and I will again find my way.

I feel that the first part of my life was successful in many ways and it gave me some things that were not so humble…maybe to some but not for me. I always kept in mind that riches, wealth and prosperity were not Life’s Best Blessings anyway.

I learned how to manage what I did not know by study, working hard, remembering God was my strength and the one who was the lead.

My career gave me the opportunity to travel over our Country…and I could easily name the states of which I have not visited, better than the many states I have visited or at least changed flights.

I got to see the Statue of Liberty, walk in the world trade center before it was so brutally destroyed and I got to walk in Central Park in the snow.

I visited Mexico when I was doing a project in San Diego…walked in San Francisco and visited the famous coffee shop.

I even saw the many different motorcycles in Dayton a Beach and almost didn’t have a decent place to sleep.

I have been around a little, but these things are not Life’s Best Blessings. These are the benefits of having a desire to accomplish something more. They were some added advantages that I received because I desired a little more than the small town that I live in; could offer.

I took my chances and ventured away for a while. I gained some things and I lost some things along the way, but I always enjoyed Life’s Best Blessings.

I had to learn what real Success was, and it was certainly not about other people, it is about you and what you desire for yourself.

Within time, I learned a lot about people, in general, about life and that you really get second chances, only rarely. If you screw up; you will reap the benefits of your mistakes, just like you do your successes.

I learned that everybody is not going to like you and boy that was really hard. It doesn’t matter who you are, all spirits do not agree.

While making an effort to understand life; I learned that sometimes those who claim to be your friend are only your friend when they have no one else. Will they stand up for you? Probably not--- if it doesn’t involve them.

I learned that making more money, does not give you privileges, the latter is something you must earn on your own.

While learning I knew I needed to change some thoughts.

Real success if what you award yourself with, after planning, believing, and working your heart out.

I am blessed to still have one parent living (*update 05-06-2019 my mom is no longer with me) but she passed with a good mind and a hearty soul in 2011.

I am blessed to still be married to the father of my only child. Has it all been a bed of roses….nope…there were some thorns along the way. I have not suffered in many ways that others have and I feel compassion in my heart for those that are hungry for their basic need of love. For those who are dying and without someone to love them, take care of them and those that are sick and afflicted in some way.

Life’s Best Blessings are the ones that are not visible to all who are looking. The eye can’t really conceive the greatness of God’s many blessings any more than the natural eye can see His spirit.

My life’s best blessings have been those times that God has spared my life from danger; when He took me by the hand and helped through some fiery trials that were devastating to my soul.

It was the many, many times He closed doors in my life that I didn’t want to be closed, but He knew best. He gave me little things to enjoy when I was alone or felt lonely. He showed me that all things are doable if you do them right the first time.

He has definitely given me good health. Even though I have deafness from an early age, and tones that I cannot understand, He has allowed me to proceed with my life. Yes, at times I proceeded as though it did not exist.

Was it always comfortable or did it cause me some grief? Yes, because sometimes others do not understand disabilities which they themselves are blessed not to have…compassion…not everyone has.

I now know how to truly have compassion for another parent who has lost a child. As of January 01, 2019, we lost our son, Lyndell.

That is hard to write, but harder to think about and accept. He had cancer, and he was so very brave as there was no way to beat it. It had metastasized to his brain from the lungs.

This is the beginning of the fifth month, and it still hurts, I still cry, and I still want to see him once more and have a talk. I cannot, he is gone forever.

This was truly a blessing that I took for granted because he only lived approximately six months after we knew something bad was wrong.

As parents we often want our children to be different by being what we call responsible, wise, and taking life seriously. We must remember that very often our plans are not what is meant to be. That is hard, but it is the truth.

I love him more each day, and I will never be the same.