Second Thoughts

DRINKING "COWBOY COFFEE" AFTER THE STORM

Ever since Irene swept through our area I've felt compelled to blog about it. I started to write something I was calling "A Dark and Stormy Night" (very original, I thought), but then I abandoned it. I guess what's going on for me is that, even though I was inconvenienced for a week by the loss of power and thereby the loss of internet, water, land line telephone and TV (TV not a big deal), I still have my family, friends, the house I love and live in, my health, and almost everything, with a couple of exceptions, I had before she stormed her way through.

I think my initial reaction was to be a bit dramatic--maybe even melodramatic--as if I had gone through some gigantic ordeal. As it turns out, however, what about the people in Vermont who lost a whole town? What about the people down in Texas who are losing homes and treasured possessions in an incredible fire that's raging like Hell itself? What about the people anywhere on this planet who are suffering some agonizing trauma having lost someone near and dear to them? What about those who don't know where their next meal is coming from? Well, you get the idea.

Sorry for sounding so preachy. It's not the point of this blog to just give me another pulpit. I guess overall though, for myself, I can't help thinking that the very least I can do is to take a couple of deep cleansing breaths and appreciate my good fortune. Then to take the time to remember those I just mentioned in my thoughts and prayers, and live a joyful, thankful life
as if life were a precious gift because it is. And so is yours.