Days of PURPOSEFUL Thankfulness – Day #30

Note: Refer to day number 1 (July 25, 2015 post) if you don’t know what this is all about.

Josh grew up in a family of having 5 brothers, a mother who had become institutionalized due to deep depression and a father who worked very hard at trying to raise him and his brothers on his own. But for some unknown reason there were differences with how they were raised. Josh grew up experiencing his father show him love in various ways. But he also had a difficult time understanding why his father did certain things for his 5 brothers that Josh never saw his dad do for him. Josh for some reason always felt different. His views and ideas were different from the rest of his family in a lot things growing up. Maybe that’s why he overheard his dad once on the phone talking to his aunt about him. Josh didn’t catch all of the conversation but he’d heard enough to know that his father felt he had a harder time relating to him than his brothers. Josh never mentioned the partially overheard conversation to his father. He grew up in silence about all the differences he witnessed. The birthday parties he never received, special privileges to go places, financial help, etc. But despite all of that there was something that Josh always held in his heart towards his dad. I’d say it was somewhat of a miracle…maybe. When Josh became older and independent he always wanted to do some special things for his dad. Regardless of the differences Josh witnessed growing up he saw a father who had sacrificed much of his life to take care of him and his brothers on his own. Josh began to sow back into his father’s life in various ways, including financially. One day Josh’s father asked him, “Why are you so good to me?” Almost stunned at the question, Josh with a smile said, “Dad I love you.”

How many of us can say we’ve been blessed with hearts to love unconditionally? Can you imagine never knowing why you were treated differently and showed love in return, no questions asked? Are you a parent who has experienced the reverse of the story above; unthinkable hardship due to how your child has treated you? If you’ve been able to toss that aside and love them anyway, count yourself blessed. Not everyone has a heart to love, I mean truly love. Some people allow life to make them hard and bitter. Unforgiveness and vengefulness eats away at the person who harbors it. Many people are physically sick today because of things they can’t let go. Even doctors and scientist have looked into the real ramifications of this stress that is placed on the body due to negative things we hold. Our natural inclination is to pay back wrong that has been done to us. So don’t think it’s just easy or normal to show love to someone who has done you wrong. If there is love that runs through you regardless of the pain you’ve experienced in life, be thankful. That’s a miracle.