“Bless the Lord, O my soul.” —Psalm 103 : 2
A man worked in a high-rise building, making sure all the residents inside were happy. One of his jobs, each year, was to paint the outside of the building from top to bottom. To do this, he employed a suspended scaffold that could be lowered from top to bottom of the building while he was painting.
As he began painting, he was seized by an acute sense of depression and hopelessness. Here he was, busy making other people happy while, inside, he felt his own life was useless. Nobody seemed to care. But then, as he descended the building, he observed something that made him re-appraise his life.
He saw the very loving couple on the tenth floor fighting and hitting each other.
He noticed that the usually tough and strong man, Peter, on the ninth floor was crying.
On the eighth floor, Mia just found out that her boy-friend was sleeping with her best friend, and was visibly crushed.
On the seventh floor, easy going Dan was taking his daily anti-depression medicine.
On the sixth floor, jobless Harry was seen scouring through a pile of newspapers searching for a job.
On the fourth floor, Rose was quarreling again with her boyfriend.
Old man, Jonathan, on the third floor, was still hoping that someone would come by and pay him a visit.
On the second floor, Lily was staring at the picture of her lost husband since half a year ago.
Before he started painting, this man thought he was the most unlucky person in the building. Now, he just realized that everyone had their own problems and worries.
After he had observed all these flawed, human beings, he discovered that, in fact, he wasn’t that badly off. And, the people he saw on the way down the building were likely looking at him too, saying, ‘we should be grateful for what we’ve got.’
Even when you feel as though things aren’t going well in your life, you have reasons to be grateful. The fact that you are alive is a blessing. Begin with that and start each day by counting your blessings rather than your problems. Everyone alive can find something to be grateful for if they look for it. Take time to appreciate the gift of life and celebrate it in all it’s wonders.
When you count your blessings, you realize you’re actually doing just fine.
—Fr. Hugh Duffy
5 Comments
Rhett Palmer
Thank you Father Duffy. I miss you. Let’s do Capital Grill soon or perhaps something fresh and new? Even a hole in the wall that is popular?… Rhett
Hugh Duffy
Let’s do it.
Andrew Chin
Dear Father, I really don’t think “count your blessings” means being comforted by the troubles of others. It means looking at your own specific life and seeing God’s Goodness, God’s Loving Hand operating in your own life, and being grateful to Him for His Blessings on you. Praise God.
Pax Christi
Hugh Duffy
What we call “troubles,” Andrew, can be called “blessings“ if we learn to grow from them.
Hugh Duffy
Lawrence Cornelious Murphy
In Alaska, the Koyukon Athabaskans look at wealth as there’s plenty of game and your people are healthy!!! In their monotheism, they realize that the creator has blessed them and their ways!!!