Television News brings tragic stories into our living rooms daily, such as the very recent, seventeen massacres that took place in one week in the U. S. If you were to focus on these bad news stories you would be justified in feeling depressed, and probably might lose hope in humanity altogether. But things are not as bad as they seem, and your life can be much sunnier if you only count your blessings.
A story about a man who worked in a high-rise building, making sure all the residents inside were happy, might help to change your perspective. 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. Here he was, busy making other people happy while, inside, he felt his own life was unimportant. 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 with 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. We’re not that different after all.
After he had observed all these flawed, human beings, he discovered that, in fact, he wasn’t 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.’ This experience changed the man’s outlook on life so he was able to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness. He was able to rejoice in his good fortune.
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
6 Comments
Tom Walsh
Thank you Fr. Hugh for this reawakening and the need to count our Blessings. It is so easy to look at others and wish for material things, but personally that does not bring me happiness and peace. It is the needs from within that I value more and you can’t buy these needs because I believe they come from God. Happiness, Peace, Contentment, Integrity, Love, Kindness, Gratefulness to name a few.
Hugh Duffy
Yes, Tom, the needs within as you mention cannot be bought. They are pearls beyond price.
Francis von Schoenborn
Good story, Father Duffy…thanks. Also liked Tom Walsh’s comment above. I wish there was a way to bring back the values we old ones still remember but fewer and fewer younger people pay any heed or importance to any of them…like kindness, punctuality, reliability, gratefulness, politeness, consideration and attention of and for others, carefulness, keeping a word or a promise, etc. etc.
Hugh Duffy
I think these values from within, as Tom describes, can only be nurtured in the home and family, Francis.
Francis von Schoenborn
PS …That list of values is not at all exhaustive and could and might go on for a whole page…But too long here.
God bless you Fr. Hugh Duffy !!!
Elsa Tarlit
Thank you Father for this wonderful sharing. It helps me a lot to overcome my worries and difficulties in my family life. God is so good.