Blessings

Blessings come in all sorts of form, at least that's the way it's been in my life.  Some small to large.  Some of some of material item or a hug, flower, a knock on the door when you need someone to comfort you when you asked no one for help.

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Webster Dictionary describes blessings as:  

a : the act or words of one that blesses say the blessing over the wine a priestly blessing

 

b : approval, encouragement asked her parents for their blessing before he proposed

 

2 : a thing conducive to happiness or welfare My daughter is a blessing to me in my old age. Their absence turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Count your blessings.

 

3 : grace (see grace entry 1 sense 5) said at a meal said the blessing before dinner

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But, I believe Webster left out several various things that are all blessings in there own right.  Please be clear, these are just my own opinion, my own thoughts and my own experiences.

 

1.  I do agree that words can be a huge blessing to everyone.  Even those words that come just when you need them, but never told anyone that you were suffering or in despair and needed just a hug or a shoulder to cry on and a heart to hear your soul.

2.  Children are a tremendous blessing in one's life.  They may try your patience many times in the course of your and their lives, but regardless you love them with all there uniqueness, all the trials they put you through in their life are fleeting images and all you ever think of is the joy in all the experiences they had in their life.

3.  Once your child/ren leave the nest and learn to spread their wings you watch with fear, enjoyment, happiness and continue to fill your bucket of love for each child you may have.  

4.  Once your children have their own children your cup gushes over with pride, a tremendous amount of love for your newest grandchild and your own child who just entered the joys of parenthood.

 

5.  You watch your children walk the path of adulthood with a silent voice, even though you want to scream so many times "try it this way" or "I wouldn't do that".  You must watch them now spread a different pair of wings in their own now parenthood.  You watch with anticipation and fear at times, but you marvel at how each of them succeed way beyond your imagination in raising their own child.  This and your new grandchild is such a huge blessing, at least in my life.

6.  Empty Nester's:  A whole new area you at times which you had had when you had young children screaming, tugging at your shirt, refusing to eat or refusing to sleep.  When this phase in your life comes you have to adapt to a whole new world.  One you wished for many times in raising your children, but when it hits you wished you could go back to those tiny beautiful eyes, sleeping in your arms, school plays, baseball, dancing, musical instruments and many things a like. 

How do you walk through the door into this new path of life.  I entered my own empty nest phase in 2009, I was 45 and quite young.  I struggled with it, fought it, refused to accept it and when grandchildren started coming my struggle became less and less of an emotional strain.I still have struggles with it and trying to fill my days with crafts or other things I enjoy.

 

For me my new phase turned to my grandchildren.  They have become my biggest joy, my deepest love and just as my children growing up I never expect anything from them, it's what I can give them.  I lived across the country from all of them for so many years, until about 2 years ago my son moved not far from me to a new duty station.  I must admit I have not been able to see them as much as I would like.  This makes me feel like a failure as a grandmother, just like as my children were growing up I felt like I never met up with my own expectations with my children as they grew up.

 

Each grandchild that has come into the world and into my life has enriched it beyond anything I can ever imagined.  As they each came into my world and heart expanded more than I ever thought possible.

In the past 10 years I have been tormented, exhausted with prayer and yearning so much for a blessing and desire that over the years caused me such grief, loneliness and heartache and this particular blessing I've been wanting in my life just seems gone from my life.  I have wondered over the years what I did wrong, what curve did I miss, did I not go one way when my child wanted me to go another way.  I've cried so many tears 

This was the only thing I prayed about daily and so many minutes of each day.  Each holiday and

birthday came and went year after year.

So, just recently a dream I thought I'd never have for another few years came to past just recently.  It took me by total surprise that the sobs were so hard to keep for escaping from my heart.  How life and destiny changes us and surrounds us with even greater blessings.  This blessing is mine now and oh how my heart leaps so high, my body wrapped in love and acceptance.  You just never know what is in your destiny. 

The other desire in still in my heart, but it is so far removed from my brain and heart that it really doesn't matter to me any longer. Life is so strange and remarkable when you least expect it.  

My message is remain calm, trust in a higher power if you so believe and remember that gifts come in all shapes and sizes and they come when you least expected.  You may be praying hard for one blessing, even crying your eyes out in needing that particular blessing for days, even weeks or months.   But out of the blue, literally, one even greater drops straight in your lap.

Blessings are just that, a blessing.  It enriches your life, comforts your aching soul and happens when you least expect it. Those other things you deeply desired might not ever receive, but your cup will overflow with other miraculous things you weren't even expecting.

In closing, be patient and let your life be just that...life.  Embrace it, love it and your deepest dreams and desires may or may not ever come today, but...others will come along the way you had in your heart tucked away, protected...just be happy with your life as it is today.  Be grateful for the small things in your life and all the big things, if you're so lucky to have those, love life and deeply love the ones who love you in your life.  

Blessings are real!  Love is real! and life, good or bad, is definitely real!