How many days do you honestly wake up thinking just how abundantly blessed you are? I am asking myself that very question as I realize that I have not posted on this blog in over a year.  This realization concerns me because the intent of this blog was to help me reflect on my daily experiences advocating for people with limited financial means.  This blog is supposed to help me better become an advocate for myself too; I am working on helping myself so I can better help others and working on serving others so that I may better focus on myself.

Returning to the question, how often do any of us wake up recognizing just how truly prosperous we are?  I am not just speaking of financial prosperity, but prosperity in all its forms. Health, Wealth and Love–these are forms of prosperity, and they are all relative to each person’s state, we define our successes differently–as we should.

First of all, you woke up.  Many of our loved ones, brothers and sisters have fallen asleep and were called home, you were not.  Most of you likely awoke from a sleep, while in a bed.  Far too many human beings sleep on streets, in alleys, in cars and shelters. They long for the bed that you chose not to make this morning as you ran for coffee.  Next, you may have showered, while water ran down the drain and you lathered your body, did you think of those without access to safe and clean water?  Many folks in countries across this world, villages and towns are without access to safe, clean drinking water–let alone water to waste on bathing.  This happens in the US of A, sometimes too, just look at the human rights violations that were taking place as Detroit tried to punish its residents for years of the city mishandling its own government and its water problems.  Later, you may have made a light breakfast, I for one, had a bagel and an apple, while I comfortably drank my coffee and listened to music–mentally preparing for the day.

You may have got in your car, or on the bus or train and went about your daily commute to the office, to the restaurant, to the refinery, to the classroom or the garden.  You might have even grumbled about the traffic, the commuters, the hustle and bustle.  But you made it to your place of employment, because fortunately, you have a place of employment. Once you arrived you were ready to do an honest day’s work–for what we should all hope is an honest day’s pay.

I for one, know that it is easy for me to become absorbed in details…details that when I stop to reflect on them, appear trivial and yet, in the regular course of the day, when these things come across my screen, my day, my mind–they consume me, undeservedly so.

And yet.  It is a new day, a new day, a new day.  Many of my clients are fighting to keep their homes, or better yet to keep the electricity on in their homes. Some of my clients do not have electricity in their homes right now, and use candles for light and blankets to keep warm.  We are trying to resolve those issues.  One of my homeless clients, without income, wakes up every morning and makes himself busy in the community–because the shelter he lives in does not allow ‘day dwelling’.

I am working to better recognize my abundant blessings; these blessings allow me to serve those who are without or who have less.  I know we are all in a position to serve others, we just have to recognize, the tools, the gifts and yes the blessings we have been given, have acquired and developed–and then we have to keep our eyes open long enough to see where the needs exist and where we can best serve others in the community we call home.