Counting My Blessings

The big trip to Hawaii is underway, and I could not be more thankful for this experience with family!  While it has been wonderful connecting with everyone, the absence of our daily routine of appointments and household responsibilities has been refreshing.  At home, it seems like my mind is going a million miles per hour (what time is that appointment, will that noise trigger my husband’s PTSD, what’s for dinner, did you take your meds, why are the sprinklers on when it’s been raining all day?).

Heroes Thanking Heroes Representative, Tiffany S.,
caregiver to her husband Joel

This isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but here on the islands, I can feel a weight being lifted off my shoulders.  I’m not sure exactly what that weight is, but I’m a big fan of it not being there!  With this way of life, I have started to think more clearly.

Actually, this pondering life thing started the moment we hit the road for vacation.  Is there such thing as vacation brain?  If so, I must have it!  The first leg of our trip was a 4-hour drive to Chicago.  I’m pretty sure that last hour or so I didn’t do much thinking, except saying over and over to myself, “I am thankful I don’t drive in a big city every day.”  Some people live for the big city, but after this trip, I can say it is not for me.

As my husband was sleeping in the passenger seat, I heard a song on the radio called “Counting Every Blessing” by Rend Collective.  “I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing” was repeated over and over until it clicked, I am blessed and I should be counting my blessings.   

There are so many things that I am thankful for, but I often take my focus off them and put it on what appears to be going wrong, or at least not going according to my plan.  This vacation has reminded me that I have a lot to be grateful for, and I have started a gratitude journal to get myself back into thinking more positively.

One thing I am very grateful for is the ability to work in the Heroes Thanking Heroes Program.  Not only do I have a wonderful support system & family in the HTH Program, but I have the opportunity to connect with incredible donors who are truly making a difference in the lives of so many veteran families.  This position allows me the flexibility to provide the care my husband needs at home on a daily basis, as well as attend every appointment with him.  I am incredibly thankful for this!

Have you written a gratitude journal before?  It can be as simple as this- Before you go to bed, write down 3 things you are thankful for from the day.  They don’t have to be big things either.  I mean, Let’s be real, I am very thankful when we hit all the green lights on our way to the doctor's office!  After a week, month, or even a year, take a look back through the journal. I’m sure you and I both will be amazed at all the blessings in our lives.