I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.

Like any human being, I can sometimes get caught up in the things that I wish I had.

I wish I had a brand new car.
I wish I owned my own beautiful home and could furnish it with all new furniture.
I wish I had a closet like the one Big built for Carrie.
I wish I didn't have to work.
I wish I had a maid.
I wish we didn't have to pay back student loans.
I wish someone would invent a cure for cellulite.

And then other times, I feel so overwhelmed with how lucky I am that I could cry.

I have the faithful love of an incredible man.
The closest friends a girl could ask for.
I have an amazing family and both parents who are still happily married and are a continual example of the kind of marriage to strive for.
A job with a great company in an economy that has left too many people unemployed.
My health. When I think about the amount of diseases that are out there: cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, you name it -- I think it's a miracle that I'm healthy. I can walk and breathe and I'm not hungry. I think too often we take these simple things for granted.

I tell Brandon sometimes that I'm worried God or the universe will notice that I haven't been stricken with some tragedy - and that I'm luckier than so many people - and will throw something bad my way. Take away a parent, or my best friend. Leave me without a job. He tells me with a smile that he doesn't think it works that way and I feel better temporarily. Until the next time that I have that overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my life and those in it and wonder how I'll manage under the radar unscathed. I decided when I feel this way it's time to do something for other people.

I'm reminded of being 15 years old and sitting in Kandi's bedroom. We plotted for hours about our plan to feed the hungry. We decided that a couple of hundred dollars of top ramen (nutritious right?) would do it. We'd open a soup kitchen in some remote part of Africa and feed the hungry Top Ramen. We talked about taking a couple hundred dollars and leaving it on the door-step of a home in a bad area. We never did either.

"I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet."

To me, this is a reminder to always be thankful for what you have because there is always someone out there less fortunate. There is always, always something to be thankful for.