Giving Thanks

Even since the earthquake in Japan, I can't help but look at things differently around me.  When I go to bed at night, I stop and think that I am able to do just that, lay in my own bed.  I remember putting myself through university by working nightshifts in a road-side motel and truthfully, I hated every time I had to go to work.  After several years of that, I told myself I would sleep peacefully the very first night I was able to go to bed without having to go to work.  I've slept peacefully ever since and that was almost twenty years ago.  I remind myself of that practically every night as I give thanks for being able to sleep at night.  I can't help but think of one other thing that was so easy to take for granted before and that is, simply turning on my tap and having fresh water pour out of it.  Every time I do that, and I do mean every time, I think of the people of Japan who no longer have that simple luxury.  It makes me wish I could attach a big hose to my sink and have it run all the way around the world to reach the people who really need it.  It's such a simple thing that's so easy to take for granted.  It makes me reconsider other things in my life and give thanks for those.  One of those is the simple fact that I now live with good health so I now ask myself, why jeopardize that?  I spent many years mistreating my body and now I've turned that around.  There's no turning back.  It's much like organizing my home of all the bric-a-brac, I can't imagine then opening the cupboards and pouring all the stuff into the middle of the floor.  These are simple things that I can't help but offer extra thanks for.  I'm actually a little thirsty now.  How easy it now is to get myself a refreshing glass of water before I head to bed in a little bit.  Maybe it's time to say an extra prayer tonight.  One, giving thanks for all the blessings in my life, and another prayer of hope for those who don't have it as fortunate as we do.