As we spoke she told me she had been battling cancer for a number of years. Then she said how grateful she was that God had blessed her to have made it this long in her journey because the prognosis for her type of cancer had been much shorted. She admitted it was stressful both physically and psychologically but that she just kept focusing on the time she was getting to have with her family, which was blessedly still going.
After we went our separate ways I sat there feeling stunned. This woman had so much that she could be grumbling about and instead she was focusing so much on her blessings that she looked and acted radiant. I would never have guessed her to have been battling for her life. And yet her perspective is probably one reason she is still here.
It is interactions like this that put things into perspective. Yes in my grumblings I try to turn my thinking around to the positive eventually. I am a grateful person but am not an optimist by personality. It is a crafted effort for me which is what I tell myself makes me a good gratitude coach.
After speaking to this woman yesterday I saw how tiny my problems this week were. I am healthy and blessed with a loving, healthy family. I have so many things to celebrate and I could not be more grateful for this reminder.
I'm grateful to have met this woman. I'm grateful that our paths crossed and that she shared her story with me. I'm grateful for all the beautiful blessings in my life. I'm grateful for my health and the health of my family. I'm grateful for the inspiration this woman gave me and for her beautiful perspective. I'm grateful to tuck her story into my heart and not only use it as a reminder for myself but use it as a prayer for her and her family.
Who has inspired you recently? Was it something they did or just who they are that was the inspiration?
May today remind us that we are blessed to be here. May we be inspired to focus on our blessings. Have a beautiful day!