Expectations VS. Blessings

I just finished reading an article about abundance and what that meant to the writer. It is an interesting thing when you look at life from a more spiritual standpoint. I often find myself challenged to find the blessings in my life. I often realize that the challenge comes from my own personal expectations of things. You see I expected to grow old with my wife and children by my side. The fact that this is not the case is truly troubling to me. However I am blessed to have great children that love me and that I love and spend time with on a regular basis. I expected to have a great career and be king of the job world. However I am blessed that in these chaotic economic times that I have a place to go each day and enough money to feed those that I am responsible for. I expected to drive a fancy car and live in a big house. Once again I am blessed because I am not out in the cold and my car gets me where I need to be. Last night I had nightmares of love lost and the pain of dealing with it. I expected that I could turn off my emotions and move on with my life, However I realize that I am blessed to be able to feel emotions like pain, and loss. I realize that if there is no pain for a lost love, then there was never any love. i realize that God has a plan for me that involves me facing the pain and learning from it. I realize that it is a blessing to have loved and lost. I also realize that as I grow the true blessing comes in being able to wake up each day and give it another shot. At times I will fail, at times I will have victory, but at all times I am blessed because I have the opportunity to keep trying.
Love to all.