Learn to Appreciate the Little Things

It's now day five of the hospital and I sooo miss my "pre-flu life". The saying is true that "we don't realize what we have until it's gone". Oh how I miss the bickering between my 13 and 9 year olds. I would trade that over the sound of a dysfunctional IV pump any day. Waking every morning at 5:30 to get the kids ready for school doesn't seem so bad after all. Although the nursing staff has been super supportive to my son and me, I now realize the richness of my normal life at home. Being away from my home and my daughter has really put things into perspective for me. Sometimes in life, we tend to focus on the things that aren't going so well (bills, work, school) instead of simply appreciating life as a whole. Those things are important, but also minor in comparison to good health and family. I encourage everyone to take a moment to enjoy and appreciate the things around you. Look for the simple things that you wouldn't otherwise appreciate unless they were taken away. The one thing that I am able to appreciate at this moment is the beauty of conversation with my son. Regardless of the conversation or how tired I may be, having a conversation with him today is a blessing and I will continue to treat it as such in the days ahead.