Please be thankful for the measure of good health that you enjoy!

18 years ago

I just read down a list of about four dozen members of the KT, replying to a poster who asked what pains they were suffering in their body.

One person said that she was having no pain, nor do I - to make a round 50 posters there.

You might find it instructive/helpful to read down through that list.

If you are not having to cope with any pain, what a wonderful blessing you experience. A question ... if you don't pay any attention to that good fortune, can we say that you "enjoy" that good health?! Or merely "experience" it? Do you consider those two to be about the same? It seems to me that "enjoy" includes some awareness of the benefit that is entailed in the situation, and appreciation for it.

How often we take that good health for granted ... while it continues to be with us.

Sometimes when people with good health are talking to people with certain disabilities, they say that they do not have disabilities/are not disabled.

Some are rather taken aback when the answer which they have received was, "Not yet"! For many of us, as the years go by, do come to a first-hand experience of such difficulties, whether temporarily or on a longer-term basis.

Also - how often we take those that we love for granted, and neglect to let them know how impoortant their presence is in our lives.

Let us send good thoughts and prayers to those, and on behalf of those, who are suffering pain and disabilities just now.

Good wishes to you and yours for increasing appreciation of your blessings in life.

ole joyful

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Comments (12)

wildchild
18 years ago
What a thoughtful post OJ. I am blessed with good health at this time but I do know that it can change at any time. I think it is important that we live each day as if it might be our last. Thanks for the reminder.
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, wildchild - I appreciate your feedback.

As I read down through that list - and I don't suppose that I've ever before dealt with 48 testimonials of the pain that people are coping with, one after the other - I felt almost embarrassed at the good health that I have. And almost had some tears in my eyes.

At the end, I felt impelled to come here to make this post.

I guess that my experience in the church and training and experience as a clergyperson encouraged some of that feeling, as well.

Sometimes we hear of Christian agencies being good at laying guilt trips on people, but a major facet of such experience is to be thankful for the wonderful life that we have, in this magnificent world in which we live.

Which is much easier for us in North America, Europe and some other areas than in many parts of the world, e.g. a number of areas in Africa where war and insurrection is impelling millions to migrate from their former residences ... with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Oh, boy - here we go with the guilt trip, again!

But we are part of one world ... and if parts of it are sick, it's almost certain that that contagion will affect the other parts, as well. We need to deal with the contagion in positive ways.

Good wishes to everyone for a great old weekend - we're supposed to get more snow and cold, here. I guess I'll stay home (one of the privileges of retirement!).

ole joyful
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heather_on
18 years ago
OJ Your message really hits home today. Seven and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I am doing very well cancer wise but have some pretty significant side effects left over from the treatment.

I am on an IBC forum and have formed a friendship with a fellow Canadian who was diagnosed with IBC not even a year ago. I just read an email from her that her cancer is now in three areas in her brain. She talked about enjoying the cold winter weather walking her dogs today.

My heart is breaking for her, but it sure did remind me to be thankful for every day I have survived. Even though she will not have a lengthy time on earth, she is at peace and enjoying the time that she has.
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you for your message, Heather.

The essence of your friend, which I believe survives this physical body, is about to embark on what I am sure she will find to be a great adventure.

I am thankful that she is at peace with her situation.

I hope that her loved ones are, as well.

I hope that they feel comfortable with discussing the situation straightforwardly and candidly.

I will say some prayers for her and her family. Please give her my good wishes, if you feel it appropriate (your having discussed her situation here).

ole joyful
vannie
18 years ago
Thanks for the post, OJ. It's so easy to forget how good it feels to feel good when you don't feel good! I think there's a difference in chronic pain and the kind I have w/ various ailments that I know is temporary and I will get over it! I.E. diverticulitis. I always think when I get over this I'm not going to complain anymore, and for a while I don't! Geritol said it right "if you've got your health, you've got everythig.!"
Cherryfizz
18 years ago
I am blessed with good health other than the knee sometimes but know that anytime it could all change in an instant.

I am thankful everyday that I don't have breast cancer that ravaged my 2 sisters and my Aunt Elsie's bodies. I am thankful I don't have the kidney disease that one of my friends and a neighbour down the street has, I am thankful I don't need a pace maker or have to inject myself with insulin. I am thankful I don't have to take a handful of meds to get my body through each day and to cure what is making me sick or to take ease the symptoms.

I read about what our KT friends have gone through and the pain they are in and I feel so fortunate. My knee pain is nothing in comparison to what others are doing through or the pain they are coping with each day.

I try not to think that one day that could be me. So until my Doctor tells me otherwise I am enjoying good health.

Ed, I hope when I reach the age you are I have half as much energy, agility and good health that you do. LOL I still can't get the image out of my memory of you running to your car. LOL

Anne
ronf_gw
18 years ago
Thank you for a thoughtful, caring post, oj.
I've been abundantly blessed with good health for most of my 52 years.
your line about living each day as our last hits home for me. This Winter I worked as a substitue teacher in the Rochester school system. Most assignments are 1 or 2 days, but, I worked for a week in an EBD (Emotional Behavior Disorder) classroom with a most fantastic teacher. She was in her late 40's and the staff and students just loved her. One week after I worked for her she was killed in a car accident while commuting to work on icy roads. Such a loss. We never know when our time is up.

Ron
jannie
18 years ago
When anyone would ask my Dad "How are you?" , instead of complaining, he'd say "I'm still kicking", or "Fine, considering the alternative." Dad's been gone ten years. I recently turned 55, I think it would be nice to adopt his responses as my own.
ronf_gw
18 years ago
Jannie, you reminded me of a saying a friend of mine had.
He had some serious heart problems and was even hospitalized for a while. After that when he was asked how are you doing? he'd respond, "I'm still buying green bananas."

Ron
glenda_al
18 years ago
68 going on 69 and right now everything is okie dokie!
hayjud_mn
18 years ago
OJ,
You are always so very thoughtful, and this thread is a good reminder for me. I don't have good health, but I'm thankful for little pain.

Last Tuesday I went to the funeral of a friend's mother. The lady who passed on lived a couple months short of 110 years old. I know it's not unusual for people to make comments about "How nice" the person in the casket looks. Well, Dear Myrtle looked wonderful. And I'm not just saying that! She lived a very healthy life and raised 11 children on a farm. I think her pleasent appearance was because she was not on any medications and didn't even take pain meds. She didn't go out fighting, she just passed-on peacefully. What a wonderful blessing to be able to go through more than 109 years with your ouw hair, your own teeth and a smile on your face.
joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Shortly after my wife decided that she preferred to live on her own, I went to board (for 4 years) with an old lady in her 80s who'd been known to our family for years ... Dad was pallbearer at her aunt's funeral (that she'd cared for while bedridden) on the day that psych. hosp. called to say that Mom died and I, age 13, went to tell him.

Bessie, never married (fiance soldier killed in W W I) had been a pediatric nurse, was a lovely spirit and in good health in her 80's. I don't think that I ever heard her say anything sharp or nasty about anyone. Everyone in the village loved her ... but they tended to head for the hills when they saw her little blue Falcon coming down the street. I thank her sweet spirit for heading off my feelings of bitterness against females at the time.

She spent several years in a retirement-nursing home, couldn't see or hear well near the end of life, but had she lived another 4 months would have achieved 105.

She was missed by many.

And, I hope, quite a number may have chosen to alter some of the things in their lives for the better as a result of seeing her, a quiet Christian, in action.

I am thankful for Bessie's ministry in my life.

ole joyful

Please be thankful for the measure of good health that you enjoy!

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Please be thankful for the measure of good health that you enjoy!

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