Contemplating Life...

...on a VERY COLD Saturday. Do you feel alive? I was thinking this morning about a text message I received from my sister Kelly on New Year's Eve of this year. It happened to also be the 16th anniversary of my mom's death. Kelly was asking if I was ok, and she was lamenting the horrible death of our mother. I quickly texted her back saying that I preferred to remember all of the good times we had and how vibrant and alive our mom always was. Even in her last days SHE never asked "Why me?" If she never asked that question what gives me the right to? Why not me? Why not her? Why not anyone? We are all placed on this earth for a specific purpose. That purpose isn't always apparent to us, and sometimes we IGNORE it. I have been so thoroughly blessed in my life it never ceases to amaze me. I have tried to take the negative aspects of my life and turn them into something positive. Can I always do this? No. I am hopelessly imperfect, but whenever I am feeling badly about something or feeling sorry for myself LIFE smacks me in the face reminding ME that there are those that are much worse off than I am. No matter how bad we have it, there is always someone that has it much worse. How we deal with adversity makes all of the difference. Take time today to think about ways to make the negatives in your life work FOR you not AGAINST you. I look out into the cold morning and I am reminded that even though it is bitter cold outside I am truly blessed to have a nice warm roof over my head filled to the brim with people(yes this includes my cats) that love me and who allow me to love them.