Day 12 and 13: To Be Alive

Ooops. I missed day 12. I knew I was bound to miss one sooner or later. Atticus had the day off from work, and then it snowed. So rude.

What I was grateful for on Monday was to be alive. In fact, it’s such a biggie that it’s what I am grateful for today too. Just to be alive. To breathe in sweet, clean oxygen. To see the sky and trees. To enjoy my morning coffee. To kiss my daughter good morning. Not everyone is so blessed today.

On Saturday night, a house in my city blew up. A whole house, just exploded. In fact, the explosion was so fierce that it blew up the house next door and destroyed four other houses on the street.

The house that blew up was empty, but the one next door contained two teachers, a married couple who were asleep in their bed. They both died.

Many people had their entire house destroyed beyond repair.

And the worst part? It might have been deliberate. There’s a possibility it was set by the ex-husband of the homeowner. After a messy divorce. You know, that old chestnut.

My friends who live 3 miles from the blast felt it at their house.

There really aren’t any words.

When we found out on Sunday morning, I felt so grateful just to be alive. To be married to the kind of man who would give his life for me, not try to take mine by blowing up my house, killing two people in the process.

Something like that makes me want to (1) go to confession and (2) hug my family really tight and remember what matters most. That sounds really cliche, but it’s true. So very true.

In a somewhat unrelated vein, I posted yesterday at Ignitum Today. One of my favorite poems about fall, loss, and grief, one which gives me consolation and peace. I hope it does for you as well.

What are you grateful for today?