Every day we are overloaded by information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and every other website that is now so easily at our fingertips at all times. Every person, company, and article seems to end with something that you should buy to read more, look cool, or accomplish a task better. Maybe I am alone in my selfish, greedy attitude but I can't even count the number of times a day I send a link to Jim or write down something with the words "I want" attached to it. The only thing more obnoxious than the amount of times a day I say "I want..." is those times that I let the words "I need..." slip out of my mouth. For instance, my recent "I need..." is a Jawbone. I eat right, I exercise plenty, I hydrate like it's my job and I get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Do I really NEED something on my wrist that will confirm each of those things with more exactitude? Will it really improve my health? I know I need gas for my car or food to eat for dinner, but do I NEED a Jawbone? [Honestly, sometimes I will have something in my hand at a store and hear the words "I want this so bad" come out of my mouth and I promptly put it down and leave it at the store. I have a home full of things and spend barely anytime in any sort of clothing besides those fit for working out or playing with children.]
I understand this is the most superficial level of want and need. I know that there are people in my life, including me, right now who are looking for things that are the more basic needs and wants. Some people are looking for houses, wishing for significant others, heartbreak to go numb, hoping for healing, trying for babies, searching for forgiveness, or thinking about relocating. The heartbreaking disappointment that can come with these types of wants can cripple you. They bring down your self-confidence. They make you feel trapped in a jail of sorts. They create stress and make you feel like good things aren't meant for you. If I could snap my finger and have everything I wanted, is this the life that I would be sitting in right now? Absolutely not.
Recently, my spirits have been low. Jim is my rock, my strong and steady when I can't seem to fathom holding on to anything else. He said, 'let's go, let's move'. It gave me pause. Will moving make me happy? Will having kids be a secret pill? Will having a partner make your life perfect? Will having new clothes to hit the bar with or the latest iPhone make your life complete? It won't.
What will make our lives more full is gratitude. Being thankful for what we have been given in the here and now. Are there things that I wish I had that I don't? Sure. You know what makes me feel fulfilled? It's starting a list of things I'm grateful for when I start getting a little down with a certain area of need or want. I start at the beginning of the day--I woke up in a house, with heat and a bed next to someone who loves and takes care of me. I ran in $110 sneakers. I drank coffee. I checked my iPhone with a bill higher than our heat and electric bill combined... I can usually stop there. It's never going to be the big things that make us feel grateful. The big things are the ones that so easily go wrong or we can find holes in. The things that are so small--food, heat, love, transportation, money to make it to tomorrow and possibly no further, jobs, family, friends--are where we will discover we have all we NEED.
Thanksgiving is always the time to remind ourselves that we are blessed. I will say that this year, I especially need that reminder. So many things that I want, that I need, are out of my control right now. I can't have them by snapping my fingers like buying a new sweater but only through planning and patience. I'm sick of feeling like I'm fighting a wall almost every day but need to learn to be grateful for the things I have now, the things that I can control. There are a lot of my friends going through struggles today. I'm not diminishing the pain that some of these things create but just asking you to step back and take a moment to consider what you DO have.
One of my favorite quotes is "what if you woke up today with only what you were thankful for yesterday?" I know what I'd be left with. What would you have?
