I'm Thankful for the Gift of Health

By , SparkPeople Blogger
I’ve decided to make it an annual tradition to blog about what I’m thankful for at this time of the year. I feel like I do a pretty good job of being thankful year-round for a lot of things in my life: my family, my friends, a stable job that I enjoy, etc. But my health is something I easily take for granted.

A few months ago, I had some outpatient surgery. I had to fill out lots of forms and answer nurses questions, many of which were about my medical history. When one nurse looked at my paperwork, she commented "Well, you don’t really have a medical history, do you?" I’ve had no diseases, medical problems, and I’ve been generally healthy for my entire life. The nurse also pointed out that some patients come in with pages and pages of history, and the fact that I didn’t really have much was rare. At that point I realized how lucky I am.

There are times when I’ve been down about various medical issues, like my running injury. But when I take a step back and look at the bigger picture, those small things are really nothing compared to what some people face on a daily basis. I am able to complete daily tasks without pain or difficulty. I’ve never had a doctor tell me I’m not expected to live a full and healthy life. So when I get too focused on the small things I can’t do, I need to remind myself how fortunate I am that there are so many more things that I can do.

This year, I’m thankful for my health, and for the health of my family and friends. Those around me are generally healthy and when faced with health issues, have been able to overcome them. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they took good health for granted until they no longer had it. So I choose to focus on the positives, and appreciate everything that I have and everything I am able to do right now.

What about you? What about your health makes you thankful this year?