Gratitude

Update: My unemployment benefits were approved on Tuesday, 4/22 and money was posted immediately. If you remember from my last post, the struggles of applying for UI benefits was stressful and infuriating at times. A learning from that was to remember my saying of not worrying about the things I cannot control. Remain prayer and allow God to work all things out. This would have saved so much emotional energy had I applied that thinking last week. Hey, we are human and I’m an emotional thinker and I carry certain things close to my heart.

Wednesday morning was a moment of Gratitude. I had a wonderful, as always, conversation with a dear friend (Christina, based in Atlanta) who pours great energy into me. Our conversation consisted of her sharing her baby food making experience. It was coming out mint green. I’m like sweetie what is in that. LOL. We then started talking about work, of course, and the stress of it yet grateful to have a job still. Our conversation somehow ventured into a discussion about my friend and mentor’s book called “The Game According to Life” by K.S. Lewis. The things we go through in life and how we come through them. Gratitude! Grateful! Wearing that mask, no matter the thing your covering up is still wearing a mask. For instance, someone could easily say that my financial situation could never happen to them and they can’t understand how I could be in such debt. That’s my mask. Your mask is still a mask as you could have multiple homes and over leveraged and stressed in this climate. While your outside mask portrays you has having it all together and not worried about a thing. While on the inside you’re stressed to the brink of a mental breakdown. We all have a mask that we don’t fully share with the world that we so desperately try to shield our vulnerable egos and self esteem from daily.

She reminded me in that conversation, that I have so much to be grateful for, and that my spirit should move in a space of Gratitude. What does Gratitude mean? The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. After sitting in our conversation for a moment I realized that she was right. I have some much to be thankful for as a man in this moment. So much gratitude bursting at the seems that I should share all of it. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my insecurities that I’m dealing with daily and trying to figure out how to manage them in my day to day life. However, at this moment in my life, I’m still highly blessed and surrounded by a vast network of family, friends, colleagues that will ride out to the end of time for me.

My parents! Mom and Dad, you never cease to amaze me! So much love and admiration for your son and its reciprocal. You had a chance to read my blog and your inner parental instincts kicked in to want to take care of your man child. 😊 You still capture my eye and heart every day. Your constant check-ins since Covid-19 and furlough have been beyond loving and it has reminded me that I have the world’s greatest parents.

My sister and brother in-love. You both have always been my rock and shield even if I never shared my entire story or situation with you. You have never judged, read me my rights or made me feel any less than uncle boy that I am to you. For that I say thank you. Gratitude for you both! Your advice has always come from a place of love and wanting me to be the greatest me I can be, and I receive it.

Eric/Sybil/Kassem, you are my dearest best friends and you have held my feet to the fire when I have let you into my world. You stand by me and are my rocks. Gratitude is such a small word to describe my love and admiration.

Naema, Wanda, my loves! My sister’ girls from another mother and family! Distance nor time can diminish the love and affection I have for you both. Gratitude for how you handle me with the upmost care, love, affection and admiration. My love for you both runs deep and wide.

My friends and you know who you are! Your energy and light are beyond what any one person should have access too. I’m beyond blessed to have such amazing people in my world. I’m so grateful for you.

This post was meant to be short and sweet, as GRATITUDE speaks for itself. After reading my past post I realized that I needed to share that I’m beyond grateful for my situation and life. Yes, mistakes were made but those were meant for my life. Not yours, but mine. I own and accept every single moment of my life as my own.