{"id":711,"date":"2013-06-10T19:24:30","date_gmt":"2013-06-10T19:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blessedinthemess.com\/blog\/?p=711"},"modified":"2013-06-10T19:24:30","modified_gmt":"2013-06-10T19:24:30","slug":"gratitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.blessedinthemess.com\/blog\/gratitude\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude."},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday a client of mine had her first ever triathlon in Naperville.\u00a0 10 weeks ago I gave her a training plan and we got to work to get her ready.\u00a0\u00a0 She was scared, she was nervous and there were a couple times that she asked me “do you really think I can do this?”.\u00a0 Now, let me tell you something about Jackie.\u00a0 I have mentioned her before, she is nothing short of inspirational.\u00a0 She has overcome so much struggle in her life yet you would never guess that when you spend time with her.\u00a0 She is an eternal lover of life and her successful career, family and personal life is a result of her ambition and positive attitude.<\/p>\n

This race was not just a triathlon, it represented yet again that she cannot be held down when she sets her mind to something.\u00a0 This particular race is also associated with Team Hope<\/strong><\/em>, which is an organization that raises money for Cancer research.\u00a0 Jackie is a two time cancer- survivor so as you can imagine, this race also represented much more.<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/a><\/p>\n

Right before the swim start, a young lady whom was a four time survivor of pharyngeal cancer and laryngeal cancer geared up to sing one the most beautiful national anthems I have ever heard.\u00a0 Keep in mind, someone once told her that she would never sing again.\u00a0 Boy did she prove them wrong.\u00a0 As I was listening to her beautiful voice, thinking about all that she has overcome to get here and thinking about my own family members that I have lost to Cancer- I cried tears of sorrow but also of thankfulness.\u00a0 I then looked over in that moment to see Jackie and all the other women in the Cancer Survivor wave (they all donned pretty purple swim caps) despite not knowing one another, they all linked arms and cried during the majority of the anthem.\u00a0 I will not pretend to know what it is like to have Cancer, so I can only speculate what was going through their heads in that moment.\u00a0 My best guess is that they were probably crying tears for all those years of struggle, tears of fear that it might come back but most of all tears of gratitude.\u00a0 Gratitude that they were here, that God gave them another breath.\u00a0 And now they were going to use that breath by challenging themselves in a triathlon.\u00a0 I felt so honored to be able to witness that moment, to see the true image of what gratitude looks like. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/a><\/p>\n

This life is a gift, friends.\u00a0 A privilege.\u00a0 The more thankful you are for it, the opportunities will come your way, sometimes out of thin air. If you are constantly consumed by what you don’t have, you will continue to never have enough. \u00a0 Every single one of you has something to be thankful for.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.\u00a0 Are you reading this blog?\u00a0 You have sight.\u00a0 You have the ability to read.\u00a0 You have the breath of life.\u00a0 The breath that is taken away from so many when they are not ready. \u00a0\u00a0 I cannot even describe the kind of amazing things that will happen to you when you live a life of gratitude.\u00a0 When you stop wanting, comparing & lusting.\u00a0 You have everything you need, right here, right now, in this moment.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday a client of mine had her first ever triathlon in Naperville.\u00a0 10 weeks ago I gave her a training plan and we got to work to get her ready.\u00a0\u00a0 She was scared, she was nervous and there were a couple times that she asked me “do you really think I can do this?”.\u00a0 Now, let me tell you something about Jackie.\u00a0 I have mentioned her before, she is nothing short of inspirational.\u00a0 She has overcome so much struggle in her life yet you would never guess that when you spend time with her.\u00a0 She is an eternal lover of life and her successful career, family and personal life is a result of her ambition and positive attitude. This race was not just a triathlon, it represented yet again that she cannot be held down when she sets her mind to something.\u00a0 This particular race is also associated with Team Hope, which is an organization that raises money for Cancer research.\u00a0 Jackie is a two time cancer- survivor so as you can imagine, this race also represented much more. Right before the swim start, a young lady whom was a four time survivor of pharyngeal cancer and laryngeal cancer geared up to sing one the most beautiful national anthems I have ever heard.\u00a0 Keep in mind, someone once told her that she would never sing again.\u00a0 Boy did she prove them wrong.\u00a0 As I was listening to her beautiful voice, thinking about all that she has overcome to get here and thinking about my own family members that I have lost to Cancer- I cried tears of sorrow but also of thankfulness.\u00a0 I then looked over in that moment to see Jackie and all the other women in the Cancer Survivor wave (they all donned pretty purple swim caps) despite not knowing one another, they all linked arms and cried during the majority of the anthem.\u00a0 I will not pretend to know what it is like to have Cancer, so I can only speculate what was going through their heads in that moment.\u00a0 My best guess is that they were probably crying tears for all those years of struggle, tears of fear that it might come back but most of all tears of gratitude.\u00a0 Gratitude that they were here, that God gave them another breath.\u00a0 And now they were going to use that breath by challenging themselves in a triathlon.\u00a0 I felt so honored to be able to witness that moment, to see the true image of what gratitude looks like. \u00a0 This life is a gift, friends.\u00a0 A privilege.\u00a0 The more thankful you are for it, the opportunities will come your way, sometimes out of thin air. If you are constantly consumed by what you don’t have, you will continue to never have enough. \u00a0 Every single one of you has something to be thankful for.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.\u00a0 Are you reading this blog?\u00a0 You have sight.\u00a0 You have the ability to read.\u00a0 You have the breath of life.\u00a0 The breath that is taken away from so many when they are not ready. \u00a0\u00a0 I cannot even describe the kind of amazing things that will happen to you when you live a life of gratitude.\u00a0 When you stop wanting, comparing & lusting.\u00a0 You have everything you need, right here, right now, in this moment.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t