Attitude of Gratitude: Good Health

        I'm pretty sure I'm copying everyone I know by doing this but it's fine guys. I give myself permission.

    
        I keep thinking about how grateful I am that I've always had good health, and for the most part my family has too. Around this time last year we found out my dad had colon cancer. It gave us all a good scare and it just didn't seem like something that could happen to him. Up until that point I took for grant having a healthy, able body and seeing my tough dad in so much pain made me realize how fast things can change.
       I was so grateful that all of my family came down the day after we found out, my aunt and cousin even took off school. I think that just being around each other lifted all of our spirits, and we had a nice time squishing onto that hospital room, and I think that our relationships were strengthened because of this. During the two weeks my parents were at the hospital I realized how much I loved/missed having them around. I'm pretty sure I would tell my friends every single day how much I wanted them to come home, but my sweet mom didn't want to leave my dad. It was getting closer to Thanksgiving and I was feeling nervous that he wouldn't be released in time, luckily he was but he didn't feel good enough to make the trip up to Ogden for our traditional Thanksgiving. He also didn't want us to stay home either so we left him, it made us feel so bad so when he walked into my aunts house on Thanksgiving it was such a happy surprise! I think that was one of my best Thanksgivings yet. Just like all the other years I had so much to be grateful for but that year things were shown to me a little more clearly.
       It could have been worse, and I truly believe that the ward fast and all of the prayers my dad and family received played a big part in how everything worked out. It's comforting to know that when things are larger than us we can turn to God for help. It's also cool to see people you hardly know help out when they know it's needed. It's a year later and my dad has remodeled his store, opened up a new cafe, and today he's at the ranch. Who would have thought one year later he'd be back to working just as hard as before. Hopefully I can keep this memory in my heart and take advantage of my health everyday.

And that is why I'm grateful for good health.