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Day #9 – What place are you most grateful for?

In answer to the question for Day 9 of the 30 Days of Gratitude challenge, I’m going to choose my bed. I know that sounds like a strange choice, because we don’t think of our beds as “places.”

But, I didn’t sleep well last night and am thinking about how comfortable it is and how it’s the one place I’d like to be right now!

Waking up at 4 a.m. is a symptom of menopause and growing older. Until my 50th birthday I slept like a rock. When I did wake up (for whatever obscure reason) falling back to sleep was effortless.

Not so these days. But, it got me thinking of how lucky I am to have a bed. Many people don’t. When thinking about poverty, we tend to focus on the big stuff, like food, water, and housing. But, there is so much more that these folks live without. In most developed countries we don’t see the extremes of scarcity that less industrialized nations have.

There are varying degrees of destitution. The children on the left have mats in what appears to be an indoor structure. The Syrian refugees on the right, having to flee their homes, are forced to sleep outdoors. And, there are many other people who don’t have proper clothing or are as well fed as these youngsters.

Apparently, having a bed is considered a luxury to many, as are the countless other advantages we enjoy. 

So, when I climb into bed tonight I’m going to say a prayer for these people and remember to be grateful.

Carpe diem!

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