be grateful

So, as completely cheesy as this message is, it made me cry. My grandma sent me this email forward the other day, and I wanted to share it. Somehow she must have felt inspired to send it to me.


BE GRATEFUL

MAYBE GOD WANTS US TO MEET A
FEW WRONG PEOPLE BEFORE MEETING
THE RIGHT ONE SO THAT WHEN WE FINALLY
MEET THE RIGHT PERSON, WE WILL KNOW
HOW TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT GIFT.

WHEN THE DOOR OF HAPPINESS CLOSES,
ANOTHER OPENS, BUT OFTEN TIMES WE LOOK
SO LONG AT THE CLOSED DOOR THAT WE DON’T
SEE THE ONE WHICH HAS BEEN OPENED FOR US.

THE BEST KIND OF FRIEND IS THE KIND YOU
CAN SIT ON A PORCH AND SWING WITH,
NEVER SAY A WORD, AND THEN WALK AWAY
FEELING LIKE IT WAS THE BEST
CONVERSATION YOU’VE EVER HAD.

IT’S TRUE THAT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’VE
GOT UNTIL WE LOSE IT, BUT IT’S ALSO TRUE
THAT WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’VE BEEN
MISSING UNTIL IT ARRIVES.

DON’T GO FOR LOOKS; THEY CAN DECEIVE.
DON’T GO FOR WEALTH; EVEN THAT FADES AWAY.
GO FOR SOMEONE WHO MAKES YOU SMILE
BECAUSE IT TAKES ONLY A SMILE TO MAKE A
DARK DAY SEEM BRIGHT.
FIND THE ONE THAT MAKES YOUR HEART SMILE.

MAY YOU HAVE ENOUGH HAPPINESS TO MAKE YOU
SWEET, ENOUGH TRIALS TO MAKE YOU STRONG,
ENOUGH SORROW TO KEEP YOU HUMAN, ENOUGH
HOPE TO BRING YOU JOY.

ALWAYS PUT YOURSELF IN ANOTHER’S SHOES.
IF YOU FEEL THAT IT HURTS YOU,
IT PROBABLY HURTS THE OTHER PERSON, TOO.

THE HAPPIEST OF PEOPLE DON’T NECESSARILY
HAVE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING; THEY JUST MAKE THE MOST
OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES ALONG THEIR WAY.

THE BRIGHTEST FUTURE WILL ALWAYS BE BASED
ON A FORGOTTEN PAST, YOU CAN’T GET ON WELL IN
LIFE UNTIL YOU LET GO OF PAST FAILURES AND HEARTACHES.

WHEN YOU WERE BORN, YOU WERE CRYING AND
EVERYONE AROUND YOU WAS SMILING.
LIVE YOUR LIFE SO THAT WHEN YOU DIE, YOU’RE
THE ONE WHO IS SMILING AND EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS CRYING.

This is me with my cute Grandma last Christmas. Thanks for the poem, Grams!