Pay attention

Seems I'm always talking about my blessings. Usually when I speak of them, I'm referring to the big ones in my life like love, or friendship, or family, etc.. This week I've been the sickest I've been in quite some time with what appears to be a sinus infection and it's made me think about the blessings that I take for granted every day, like taste buds or a sense of smell! Imagine going through life never being able to taste or smell again. How much joy do those two things bring to your life?

I saw Roger Ebert, the film critic, on Oprah the other day. He lost the bottom half of his jaw to cancer and can no longer eat or speak. He gets nourishment through an IV bag and speaks through a computer. He will never taste food or utter a single word again. When Oprah asked him if he could remember what the last words he spoke were, he (his computer) answered, "I don't really recall, because I didn't know they would be my last words, but perhaps I told my wife I loved her. At least I hope my last words were I love you.".

As you go through your day today, from the time you open your eyes, until the time you lay your head on your pillow to close them again, pay attention. Pay attention to all of the blessings that we don't give much thought to. The blessings that seem small, but were they taken away, would be life altering. And pay attention to your words. What would you want your words to be if you knew they would be your last? Maybe more importantly, what wouldn't you want them to be?

I'm recalling my Mom's last words to me. It was my turn to keep watch during the night shift at the hospital when she woke up looking for her water. I went to help her put the straw to her mouth and she said, "Is that my Carrie?" I said, "Yeah Mom, I'm right here." She said, "Oh, what a good girlie you are." She took a few sips of her water, went to sleep, and from that point on I didn't hear her speak again. How's that for a blessing? She could have said anything, like, "You're not holding the straw close enough" or "It needs more ice" (I laugh as I read that because those were words we heard alot those last days in the hospital! My Mom was an ice freak.), but it's so typical of her that those were the words she left me with.

Blessings big, blessings small...pay attention, because you don't know when they'll be gone.

xo,
Carrie