A Lesson in Perspective and Gratitude
By Tonya Ramsey

Last week, as my husband was pulling out of the parking lot after working a twelve hour shift, our car broke down.  What had happened, as it was explained to me is that the spring for the suspension snapped, piercing the front driver side tire.  Something that does not happen every day, in fact I was told that it is not very common for this reinforced steel spring to break even in really bad accidents.  It was something that hardly ever happens, but on this snowy cold morning it did.

Ben woke me up when he got home and told me what happened.  He had set up to have the car towed to the mechanic.  What was going through his mind was the same as what was going through mine, what would have happened if this freak occurrence had happened while one of us was driving on the highway at 65 mph with our son in the car.  This could have been horrifically worst than it was. 

In the past, I think both Ben and I would have been more irritated that now we are without a car and have to make arrangements to get here and there, frustrated by the fact that we are going have to pay $300 to get the car fixed, and all those little things that when it comes down to it, just don’t matter.  It was going to cost whatever it was going to cost, it was going to be what it was going to be.  And one thing was crystal clear, we were blessed that the three of us would be able to handle "whatever" together.

The universe has a way of showing us how the little annoyances in life don’t outweigh the blessings that we are bestowed, and if the reason for this rare accident was nothing more than to remind Ben and I of what is really important then we will take this lesson and be thankful for it.

 We are often handed presents that are wrapped in disaster or turmoil, and if we think that there is nothing good then that is what we see being dealt another bad hand by fate.  However, if we have faith that everything happens for a reason, that everything that pops into our live has a lesson to teach, knowledge to gain, that will make our lives priceless, then we see the blessings in life, we see the miracles, we feel the presence of our guardian angels, and our higher power…and all of that is what makes life beautiful.