Living a dream

I think that I am like most people on the planet who take so much for granted. I was reading a section of a textbook, for a course that I am taking, and at the end of the first chapter, there is an exercise is to list five things that I am grateful for. I struggled at first but after I began to think about it, I realized that I really have it good.

I have been sleeping in a warm bed my entire life, under a roof that has never leaked. My homes or dwelling places have never been ravaged by fire, floods or earthquakes. My homeland has never had war, reach its shores, and although I do lock my doors at night, my family did not need to do this when we were raised in the Miramichi.

The food we eat is safe and fresh, the water we drink flows in abundance. We have the best seafood in the world and we have the sweetest maple syrup flowing from the most sovereign trees that nature could send.

Our forests are emerald green from the spruce and the pine, and our rivers and streams are alive with fish. The wildlife overflows from our woodlands and we need to take caution to avoid some animals who wish to share our highways.

I have been fortunate to be raised in a community where freedom of expression is practiced and encouraged. I have been able to worship and praise my creator without fear of offending others or to be the subject of ridicule. I have been educated in schools that have not been terrorized by guns and knives, and most of my teachers still remember who I am, many years later.

I have been blessed to have been born into a family of values, morals, and ethics. They are unique, but I have counted on them many times and I am sure they know that they can always count on me. I was fortunate enough that I was able to marry the girl of my dreams. Together, we have journeyed through much and we have been blessed with two boys that would make any parent proud. They too, have taught me lessons and I appreciate the job my parents did raising their children.

As you can see, my list is long and this is only the tip of the iceberg. The only regret that I have today is that I have taken stuff for granted. I hope that I can avoid the trap of putting off the important stuff for negative garbage that does not add value to anybody. I will attempt to deal with the issues at hand and put my sights on the goals and objectives that chart my course. It truly is amazing when you are living your dream.