Shoes of Yolanda

I've waited to post anything, because I wanted to really be able to "say" something...

I found this article, and it does just that...

"I Am Grateful"
by Anita Wahlstrom
Layton, UT - December 17 , 2007


When my husband, who is self-employed, lost an account that made up 90% of our income, my sister said, 'Be grateful.'



When my husband, who after he lost the account started working full time at his part-time job, was let go from that job, my sister said, 'Be grateful.'



When my daughter, who has been playing basketball with the same girls since third grade and has been on the Junior High and High School teams all through school, did not make the team her senior year, my sister said, 'Be grateful.'



When our car was towed at a BYU game, because we parked in a strip mall and didn't see the warning signs, my sister said, 'Be grateful.'



When my van blew a head gasket and I didn't have another car to drive, my sister said, 'Be grateful.'



So, taking her advice, I chose to be grateful. Here are some of the things I am grateful for:



I am grateful for a $200 car, even though it smells awful, and I have to start it with a screwdriver, and the motor mount is broken.



I am grateful for the owner of Burgers Supreme in Provo for sending my family $25 in gift certificates to make up for having our car towed. I have never met this man. I've only talked to him on the phone.



I am grateful that we had $123 in our checking account that night, as it cost my husband $121.00 to get our car back from the people who towed it. (Some people didn't have the money.)



I am grateful for my neighbor, Jill, who has befriended my daughter who didn't make the basketball team. She has spent hours and hours giving comfort and support to my daughter.



I am grateful for my best friend, Kris, who brought food to my house when my husband lost his jobs.



I am grateful for a church that has kept my cupboards stocked since.



I am grateful for people I work with, who when they found out my husband lost his jobs and I didn't have money for my daughter's sixteenth birthday, left a small envelope on my desk with $140 inside. (They remain anonymous.)



I am grateful for an anonymous letter, which came in the mail only two days after my husband lost his second job. It had a cashier's check for $100 inside.



I am grateful for my sister Carol, who invited my family for Thanksgiving dinner and pressed $100 into my hand as I was leaving her house.



I am grateful for a friend at school, Janice, who tapes our professor's lectures, then goes home and transcribes them and emails them to me. She spends hours of her time on this and offers the notes to those in the class who would like them.



I am grateful to three cute guys driving an ambulance-I never got their names-who came to my rescue when my junkie two-hundred-dollar car finally died at the side of the road. (It was a violent death. The throttle broke while I was driving and propelled the car through a red light. This caused the engine to fly up and dent the hood of my car. It was scary.) The guys drove me the rest of the way to my sister's house.



I am grateful to that sister, Julia, who after my car died lent me her car so I could get my master's application to the University before the deadline.



I am grateful for parents and in-laws who have helped with bills, while my husband has been out of work.



I am grateful to my dad for driving my husband to Wyoming to look for jobs.



I am grateful for my best friends, my friends from work and school (I'm in college), and family members who have listened to me cry, worry, be angry, complain, and feel hopeless during all of my troubles these past two months. Their empathy and positive words have kept me going. Thanks to Val, Kris, Melanie, Manja, Colleen, Amy, Janelle, Debbie, Ned, Jodie, Nate, Carma, Janice, Cynthia, Lori, Julia, Brian, Carol, Curtis, and my mom and dad and their spouses-and Omi (my German grandmother).



I am grateful for my daughter's friends' mom, Penny, who when she found out my husband was out of work offered him a part-time job at her company.



I am grateful for Penny for taking my three daughters to the mall and buying them stylish winter coats, just because she thought they might need them.



I am grateful to Camry, my fourteen-year-old daughter's friend at school, for listening to and empathizing with my daughter when my daughter confided in her about our situation. Her positive words really helped my daughter.



I am grateful to Camry, who after she heard about our situation, called me at work and asked me what my daughter wants for Christmas.



I am grateful to my grandmother, Emma Krisch, for calling me and listening to my problems, and then telling me that things could be worse, that I should keep going, and that she is proud of me. My grandmother lived in communist Poland after World War II. She lived for seventeen years without my grandfather, worked twelve hours a day in a communist farm, and raised two daughters. I know she understands hardships.



As you can see, among all the bad, I have a myriad of things to be grateful for this Christmas. All of these people have literally lifted me and kept me going these past two months. All I can offer them at this time is my love and heartfelt thanks for all the things they have done for me. Each instance of giving, whether it has been money, gifts, time, or time spent listening and empathizing, has meant the world to me. There are no words to describe how grateful I feel.



My message to you: Lend a hand when you can, even the small things count, and always be grateful for everything you have.