 The Greatest Blessing
by James Corbett
TheInternationalForecaster.com
May 14, 2016
I was going to call this editorial “A Survival Guide to Planet Earth.” You know, some advice for my newborn daughter that she can read when she grows up. Kind of a “don’t take any wooden nickels” for the switched-on anti-globalist set.
One can imagine the items that would make such a list:
-Always assume that politicians are lying to you.
-Never take media reporting at face value.
-If you see a central banker, kindly help them to the nearest jail cell.
You get the idea.
But the other night I received an email from a listener named David Skripac. He wrote in to congratulate me on the birth of my second child:
“As you probably know, having two healthy wonderful children makes you the luckiest person in the world. No amount of money could ever replace the gift you just received. If only other people in the world could better understand this, the world would be a far better place.”
Less than 24 hours later my best friend messaged me to say that her friend had just miscarried. It was her first pregnancy and she and her partner had been trying for months to conceive.
It’s amazing how much we can take for granted. When you’re bleary-eyed and nearly falling over from exhaustion at three in the morning holding a crying newborn who refuses to go to sleep, it can be easy to forget that right there, swaddled in your arms, is the greatest gift of all: a healthy child.
 It’s not just the big, important gifts that we take for granted, either. It’s everything. Did you wake up this morning thankful that you’re in good health? Happy to know that your friends and loved ones are OK? Cheerful at the thought that you have food in the fridge and a roof over your head? Of course not. No one does. And it would be borderline insane to be consciously thankful for everything that’s good in your life at all times. But all too often we run the risk of the exact opposite insanity: dwelling only on our problems and focusing only on the things we hate.
This isn’t a trivial realization. We are programmed to look out for danger and respond to threats. It’s instinctual, and well it should be. We live in a dangerous world and our family line wouldn’t have made it this far if there weren’t an eternal vigilance against potential perils.
But always focusing on the threats and dangers can send us off the deep end. Especially when dealing in the doom and gloom that pervades so much of the alternative media, it can be all too easy to dwell on the negative and forget why it is we’re fighting for truth and justice in the first place. In fact, it can become difficult to remember that we’re fighting for anything at all and just focus on fighting against. Against our enemies. Against the politicians and banksters and globalists and fraudsters and psychopaths. But just like the returning war vet who can’t stop fighting the war in his head or the homicide detective who assumes everyone is a murder victim in waiting (or a murderer in waiting), this perspective starts to ruin our appreciation of the world until we forget why it is we even cared in the first place.
 Sadly, this isn’t some theoretical problem. I get dozens of emails a week from people who are frightened and angry and at their wits’ end, asking me how I manage to keep doing this work given all the evil that we are facing. The answer is so simple that I’m not sure it can be taught, only perceived. In short, the answer is that I love my life. I love my family and my friends and watching clouds roll by on a lazy summer afternoon and reading a good book and hearing the sound of my son’s laughter and, yes, hearing my daughter’s cry. The cry of a healthy, growing newborn. This is why I care. I care because life is worth living, and I see that deep down most people are the same; they just want to enjoy their families and their friends and their time on this planet, too. I’m not fighting against the powers that shouldn’t be. I’m fighting for all of those things in the world that are worth saving.
This is all a bit heady and philosophical, so thankfully there is something extremely simple that you can do. Take some time every week to be consciously thankful. It could mean writing a gratitude journal once a week. Or writing thank you notes to people who have helped you out. Or counting your blessings. Or just taking a moment for mental appreciation of those things that you love about your life.
It might sound trivial or unimportant, but it’s not. Studies show that people who take time once a week for consciously expressing their gratitude and thankfulness are happier, more optimistic and better able to cope with stress in their lives.
 This is the first thing I want to teach my daughter. Not how to hate politicians or the media or the banksters, but how to love what’s right under her nose.
Oh, there will be time enough to teach her about history and politics and economics and false flag terror and central banking and depopulation and all the nastiness. But if we want to be able to function at all in this world, first we must learn to appreciate what we have.
I took my daughter for a stroll down the block for the first time today. It was the first time she breathed the spring wind and felt the sun on her face. She cried, and slept, and cried again as my son played with the neighbor’s child, the squeals of excitement at their childhood games echoing down the lane.
Today was a good day. |
Thank you for your article James, that is good advice!
Thank you
James, firstly, congratulations on the birth of your daughter.
Your children are lucky to have you guide them through life.
I am glad that I discovered you five years ago. I have learnt more from you, more then anyone in my life. Ever.
I was aware, however, before you that the world was not right, but I know a lot more now because of you. I don’t agree with everything you say but agree with a lot and the joy of learning. I do think that your ideas of humanity are naive.
Family is sometimes your greatest enemy. I did not have a loving, happy, prosperous childhood despite being born in the “lucky country”. We were poor, very poor. Went without food, electricity, gas, clothes frequently until I was old enough to work.
My parents were not good teachers and battled daily in their misery and despair, both mentally and emotionally.
Both died young, particularly my mother who was 37.
My father had been conscripted into the army to go to Vietnam in 1969.
The “birth date” lottery of who gets to go to war and die!
What a fucking injustice.
A disgrace to the young men who were lead to believe that their fathers who fought in WW2 for freedom, lived in peace and then the government ordered, punished if they disobeyed and sacrificed them. Easily. And the people just accepted it. It sickens me.
Yet I was repeatedly told by stupid people that we live in the “lucky country” and we should be grateful! It’s a lot worse in other countries!
I despise these simplistic terms.
I do not blame my parents, as there has been billions of people the world over through the eons that have been robbed of a decent and fortunate life.
I decided to not have children. My brother also. I have never regretted this decision. Not once.
Life is short, hard and if you are born into unfortunate circumstances it is a misery.
Then you die.
Especially since the scamdemic when people blatantly displayed despicable arrogant, ignorant, bullying behaviour.
Nothing changes.
People never learn, not even from history. Not even with evidence presented!
Then there is religion 🤦♀️.
I do not like the majority of people. George Carlin was right. People are stupid and in crowds as history has shown time and time again whether it be religion or supremacy or just because people do not like a certain group of people are dangerously murderous.
This is a quote that I immediately understood and related to.
“I will always be on the side of those who have nothing and who are not even allowed to enjoy the nothing they have in peace.” Frederico Gracia Lorca.
That is enough rambling on from me, I have gone on to long and I did not mean too!
Thanks James!
🧡
(Might delete this later 🤷♀️🫢)
@kmhull Hope you don’t remove your post as may be a lesson for a young person. See many children who do not have a good start. Ran into 1 y’day. No mom/dad to tell him so i skool him. Saw plenty in Atlanta i could not send home & did not. They stayed w/ me &got on their feet.
Glad you are learning & plan to continue. Congrats on you & your bro breaking the cycle. Also fan of G.Carlin & miss same. All bets are off in crowds. Would like to be left in peace w/ my doings too.
Corbett’s “…ideas of humanity are naive.” Time & again he points out vicious attacks fr the NWO types & anticipates what to watch out for… They are progressively worse so he is handy toolbox. Perhaps he has the MADmag “Eternally Optimist” bug. I have this problem, but also female naive nature. Stoopidly optimistic! Also benefits of doubt & 14 ways to skin cats…
Thx remind call my ‘Nam vet pals. 1 has fallen off the earth again, Mr.Randy. His pa was WW2 crazy POW type. Mr. Randy (a bit crazy fr a child) signed up for ‘Nam in ’68 (got crazy) & married a crazy broad in 1975. Had 1 crazy kid who is now queer. Alas, crazy cycle broken.
zero killed
Concening the Larken Rose ‘Island Analogy’ lecture.
i have the impression that Larken completely ignores human nature. He seems to constantly use a logic where he is supposing people will be morally prepared to go along with his theories. Taking human nature chances are bigger that a small group of the stronger survivors will create a hierarchy with less intelligent / manipulative people who will control and ‘lead’ the group of survivors.
There is a reason why civilisations fall into the same patterns of hierarchy, power and control. And there will always be a minority resisting and trying to show the majority they could be free from the ruling class.
Anyone see this differently ?
Right on James! Your a good man; and I wish your growing family all the best in the world!
Great article James. Inspiring in these dark times, especially for those with small children in the face of a daunting future, who see the world with a bit more clarity (thanks to your show and the guys at Tragedy and Hope). Keep up the great work.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
In November of 1949, a young mother gathered her five children around her. They were ages 9, 8, 7, 6, and 4.
The young mother told the children she had a surprise for them and asked them, “What is the best thing in the world?”
“A bicycle!” cried the 8-year-old girl.
Other children may have had ideas too, but 6-year-old Shirley quietly said, “A baby.”
Her mother said, “That’s right… a baby.”
She then told her children that she was going to bring them a baby, but what she DIDN’T tell them was that she and their father had decided they couldn’t handle any more children. They were a poor farm family in rural southern Vermont. Mother stayed home with the children and father found work where he could, besides tending the very small farm in a valley on a dirt road in Marlboro. So, before the baby was born, they had given the baby up for adoption.
The adoptive family named the baby girl, but the parents had second thoughts. They changed their minds and decided they couldn’t let her go.
That is when the above conversation took place.
I’m not sure how old the baby was when her parents went to retrieve her, or if she had even left the hospital to join her adoptive family yet.
The baby’s parents decided to keep the name the adoptive parents had chosen, and the baby was taken home to join her five siblings, completing the boy, girl, boy, girl, boy … girl family.
My grandma never told me about this until, after planning to give my baby up for adoption, I changed my mind after he was born.
While growing up, my mom (Shirley) had told me the story of her choice of a baby as the best thing in the world when she was a tender six years old. I thought it was really touching, and do even more now.
Those were times of more innocence in many places. None of the children knew a baby was expected. They had their own childish things to keep them occupied and busy. They were times when children didn’t need to know adult things when they were so young. Babies appearing (“out of nowhere”) was part of life. It was not something to draw young children’s attention to.
A very touching article, James.
What a warming anecdote! Thanks Lilac!
🙂
James, I listened to you today, 3/22/2024, and I must say that I agree wholeheartedly with the part about being thankful. As an older person, awakening late to the state of this world, I have to say that every day and throughout every day, I am continuously thankful for the life that I have lived, for the life I am living and all the wonderful souls who share my life with me. I am grateful that I have lived long enough to receive and understand knowledge hidden in plain sight, that I had been “too busy” as a working person to fully notice or contemplate. I now have the presence of mind to live thankfully, intentionally and lovingly, while seeing what has been so cunningly hidden and distorted–that we individual humans have a great potential in and of ourselves.
What I consider obvious isn’t obvious to many of those I hold dear. When what I see as the “state of the world” makes no sense to me, I often repeat a mantra from a Wisdom book which asserts, “I am undisturbed by appearances. I trust in God (the source of all love) to bring to me the desires of my heart, under grace in a perfect way”. One of the desires of my heart is to have my heretical questions answered (I was raised a Protestant Christian with all authority coming from the Bible). I continue to receive the answers to my many questions from a few reliable sources. You are a consistent source of well researched history, hopeful solutions to our problems, and some humor to get us smiling. Thank you. I am grateful to you!!
I never married and all the men I told that to said ‘you are very lucky’. My boss whose husband was the head of a very large university department told me she was the only person she had ever known that wasn’t divorced. I could tell you the large number of friends and family that ended up in deeply toxic relationships. It’s horrifying.
Of course you live in a very particular situation in a foreign culture. I live in Scotland, a country so progressive it just passed a law (Hate Crime Bill) that will make upsetting anyone (race, gender) a criminal offence. Even in your own home. If they are upset, you are a criminal. If I was a conspiracy theorist I might believe this was designed to silence JK Rowling. Rowling has vehemently declared she will not comply. This really is war.
“JK Rowling will not delete transgender posts which could breach hate crime laws”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jk-rowling-transgender-tweets-hate-law-b2514892.html
“I never married and all the men I told that to said ‘you are very lucky’.”
Makes me wonder what sort of men you were talking to.
All sorts of men. Mainly ones I had known in my late teens, early twenties but others I met along the way.
My closest friend from my twenties lived in a small island north of Shetland. He invited me to visit. I said ‘no’ because I realised from phone calls that he and his wife despised each other. I’ve experienced this kind of thing before. When he came down here she jumped on the phone to me to call him every evil b@st@rd under the sun. Really disturbing.
He wanted to show off his family but was living in matrimonial hell. That’s how incredibly well people can deceive themselves and others. Yes there are beautiful experiences but not that often.
My colleague turned up at work looking really ill with flu. I asked him why. He said that he would do virtually anything to keep away from the children. A friend’s wife had twins. He said ‘this absolutely the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
More generally
The four noble truths as preached by Buddha are that the life is full of suffering (Duhkha), that there is a cause of this suffering (Duhkha-samudaya), it is possible to stop suffering (Duhkha-nirodha).
Religions generally teach that the purpose of life on earth is to escape from it.
The Masonic American creed is that the purpose of life is the pursuit of happiness which is the opposite of religion. Jesus did not start a major carpentry corporation he died a horrifying and humiliating death at the hands of the Romans. When the Jews realised he wasn’t going to conquer the Romans they asked them to crucify him. He was the wrong kind of messiah.
Stanley Monteith accepts that the American founding fathers weren’t Christian and he wrote a book called ‘Brotherhood of Darkness’ about some of the influences from back then. I have never been a Christian.
Not long ago Muslims referred to America as ‘The Great Satan’ and that’s an excellent description to me.
‘If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged’.
Noam Chomsky
Feel better?🙂
Suffering.
“Religions generally teach that the purpose of life on earth is to escape from it.”
I’ll take your word for that. I’m not informed enough about all the religions in the world to say.
I am a Christian. And I don’t really consider Christianity a religion as much as a relationship with the God who actually cared so much about the people He created that He became one of them.
He understands suffering and why it must exist.
I understand why I spent so much of my time on this earth focused on the unpleasant aspects of life while taking the myriad mundane miracles of it for granted. But I do regret not meditating more on the beautiful and noble. The pure and peaceful. The lovely and gentle. The majestic and awesome.
The older I’ve gotten though, the more I’ve been able to see the forest for the trees. My perspective has changed. Even though I hate some things about the world I live in, maybe lots of things, I remember to appreciate the world more and the fact that I exist in it.
I’ve had some horrible experiences in life. A number of them a direct result of being married. And I suppose that had my wife and I chosen to have children, I would very likely have experienced horrible events in that regard too. But even though I’ve spared myself the heartache that comes with the miracle of bringing another life into the world and helping to shape that human being. I’ve also stolen the joy that experience would have brought me and I’ve deprived the world of something intangible.
And I’ve got an empty spot in my heart that I’ll take to my grave.
I did have to endure some of the worst experiences in my life because I chose to spiritually join my life with another. Mostly when I forsook my spirituality for worldly ness. But I also have been blessed to have spent 42 years becoming one with the love of my life. A blessing that becomes more precious with each passing day.
Life is a mixed blessing and so is everything related to it. But the key word is “blessing”.
I wish I had remembered that more consistently when I was younger. But I’m glad to finally be catching on.
I’m not sure I would have survived to this ripe old age if I were not a Christian. I definitely don’t think that I could have been successful in a business that relied so heavily on a personal and professional reputation. But I can say with certainty that my marriage would have crashed within the first ten years had we not both been, (very flawed) Christians.
And lately, my faith is paying dividends. 🙂
All the best to you. God bless.
Thanks for the warning! My “conspiracy theorist” spidey sense (my neck hair) is telling me they are coming for me. Little by little, inch by inch….
We see this hate crime encroachment more & more. First in Canada- guys from the pulpits. The case of Ernst Zundel & our own GBush had the federalies round him up & shipped off to Germany. Then that poor kid in Florida who would have copped a manslaughter charge if the victim had been white. There was that guy in BC (? sorry don’t recall) who refused to call a trans a girl/boy or some ish, meanwhile JordonPeterson is getting famous but doesn’t know about his poor countryman facing a $50k fine?!
I hate i don’t remember their names! I have to take off my shoes to count!!!
I’ve been living alone over 30yrs. Am very content. Tried dating in the ’90’s, but was a disaster. More trouble than was worth. Found somebody nice, never married, had a big construction outfit, made me a good offer of marriage. I just had this nagging thot of, do i like him or am i tired of paying the lite bill by myself? idk.
All my friends had hit the 1st train running. i didn’t want to do this. What’s more is i came to the conclusion that i did not have TIME to figure it out. Full time work, kids, hours in traffic, church every time the door was open. My parents 4k miles away & if they got old & needed me i didn’t want to ask somebody permission to go. More kids w/ different dads…. No.
People will look at the never married or don’t want to hook-up as suspect. They make out like it is strange & summat is wrong w/ you. The most trouble i have is i don’t have a witness if something goes down. Which did come in the form of assholes not keeping a rein on teen-types, but i’ll not bore anyone w/ that nitemare.
One pal has been married 3 or 4 times…. Sheesh! Now that’s a nitemare!
Thank you for this beautiful reminder & message James.
Thanks for the inspiring message. You have clearly been seeking spirituality. That’s all we can do. Materialism is a necessity to stay alive. Problems arise when the love of money causes human suffering. We are edging toward a war with Russia driven by arms profits and individual wealth. Democracy and freedom are wasting away.
Communism and fascism aren’t driving us into a locked down NWO but (ironically) the power that comes from the freedom to exploit others and accumulate vast wealth. Robber Baron Bill Gates controls the WHO and vast tracts of the future economy. Musk has plans too.
Very best wishes to you and your life.
That was beautiful James, thanks for sharing that heartfelt moment and realization with us all.
“Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone?
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot”
Being thankful is an empowering process. By acknowledging one’s blessings one can connect with one’s agency.
During the last 2+ years while publishing I’ve been able to express myself and scream at the void. I’ve also been able to learn just how terrible a writer I am, and that despite that, some of the analysis I present is meaningful to the community of people who’ve chosen to take interest in my publications.
Through that, and the citations I rigorously use, I have been able to connect people in that small community with far better writers who thoughtfully address similar and wildly different topics. One of those writers/orators/publishers is, of course, James.
I am thankful to James for at least two distinct gifts. The first was his encouragement to actually start publishing. This may sound like a small thing, and perhaps it was from his perspective. It was a significant gift for me. Encouraging others to step forth and move towards activities which they want to do but are uncertain of is powerful gift.
Secondly, there is a double blessing in James’ work. I make use of it regularly in my publishing as a source citation. This bolsters my work by providing well researched background material. I am also happily directing people who may not yet have learned of his efforts towards his library of informative work.
So, thanks again, James.
PS: I do see which links readers follow. I have a special joy when I see them following links to The Corbett Report.
Thank you for this reminder.
I concur 100%. I don’t have kids, maybe someday. But I have great and supportive parents who I love. And friends from all sides of the so-called political spectrum by whom I feel loved and respected… That, in addition to being blessed with good health is enough to be frequently grateful for.
I strongly believe that unconditional love is born from gratitude. Peace!
OK, I paused the video to give you the version of the origins of OK before that I have heard before I hear James’ version.
A German told me it came from a high ranking German bureaucrat (or officer) whose initials were O.K. (Otto Klein, or whatever). He would sign documents and orders with just his initials – OK, and it became a habit of lower ranking officials to ask – Has this been OKed?, meaning had it received official approval by O.K.?
Not claiming that is fact, but it is the only explanation of OK that I have heard and it stuck in my head. So now let’s hear Mr Corbett’s explanation …
OK, I’m not disputing James Corbett’s explanation. It’s probably correct. But I still like the the explanation I was told by a German in Saskatchewan 27 years ago. It seems more credible, even if it is completely false. OK?
Some months ago, Corbett Report Members were given a special treat
James was being interviewed and at the tail end of the podcast, waiting patiently for her Dad, she appears briefly on his right side as they wrap. It was a beautiful, heart warming sight.
Shortly after I watched it, I tracked down again “The Greatest Blessing” to reconfirm that I thought she was around 7 years old.
Some of the COMMENTS were…
“What a delightful surprise and treat to see a glimpse of the adorable little one in the final few moments!
Thanks for that James.”
…and replies…
“I know, isn’t she a cutie pie! That was nice to see” 🙂
“I glowed!” 🙂
“Thanks for mentioning this, I typically listen to these interviews while on the go.”
This is the guy (Lee Gaulman) who played Nathanial Jones in Jones Plantation. He claims the founding fathers were wealthy elitists who were only interested in a land grab (from Native Americans).
I would add that a lot of the British elite supported the colonists for the same reason. The prime minister Lord North tried to resign twice. Britain did (economically) very well out of American independence.
“1776 Revolution is NOT applicable today”
https://twitter.com/UScrimeReview/status/1771223092540436985
pilato died?
*snort*
Responding to your reposting…yes, you ARE blessed.Wonderful.
Due to disabilities I’ve not had children as I could never have cared for them. With every beat of my heart I’d have loved to have fostered and adopted children.
For many years I’ve spoken out for children. Many of us do keep fighting for the children we will never know. We do care about our future generations.
For a while I had the privilege of teaching children and nurturing them one on one. We have some amazing generations here, right now. They have emotional and intellectual intelligence, and they have the language to express it.
I am thankful for the peaceful roof over my head, choices of food, good neighbours, and wonderful carers who ensure my home is clean and that I am safe. My life is my bed but I have everything here, including 2 rescued kitties who sleep here with me and purr. I am blessed.
We shall rise…not only for ourselves but for all the beings who will walk before us. x
@hhaze Many thx your reply. Comforting to know other pple do what they can & own same. Glad you are surrounded by pple that feel that way too.
O’r past few days been musing your post-many LOLs. Recalling Ancient pal, MissTrudy, whose body failed and spent last 10yrs of her time in bed or a big chair. I could always make her LOL. Several running jokes: What’s that no account MissKitty up to? & such like. Making sport of CuckerTarlson (&Bill summat B4 him) on the TV. She hated him. Her son (caretaker) loved him. We had to be quiet bc he would pitch a fit if he couldn’t hear. A set of hand & face signals emerged. Commercial breaks we would LOL…
All started after Pop’s funeral. MissT & he were church buddies. She called me 2wks after & asked if i thot she “had died too.” Had been meaning to visit, return the pyrex where they had sent food (of course we were starved), but i was trapped in Disfunction Junction aka home. My mom was always a lazy horror, but worse. My bro would sabatoge me. Bizzaro World mildly describes.
Meanwhile, someone on the fone wants me. Needs me as i found out. 5 kids & no visitors. The son lived w/ her, but he was a prima dona. Was going back to GA, USA after the dust settled, but sd i’d stay as long as MissT needed me. Vowed i’d never make her about to cry again. Would drop everything if she called. 10mi RT played havoc on my doings, but had 10yrs worth of meals, jokes, company, caretaking.
Back then prayed a lot & asked her to pray for things too. So much so i’d tease her she was my prayer partner. Would give reports of all answered prayers & updates to other’s situations. Mostly her church was a history lesson & works salvation. Wanted her faith to increase & focus on others. Either God is universally true (any time or place on the planet) or he is not.
MissT wanted her family united. The kids had animosity to one another. Maybe 5yrs in, idk the yrs flew by, 1 local girl started coming regular to help bathe her. 7yrs in 2 others came to visit fr 200mi away for an afternoon. The 1 15mi away nada.
FF when she had the last series of strokes & oldest daughter dropped all & came to help. MissT couldn’t talk. I squeezed her hand & sd, Listen. In the kitchen the 2 kids were LOL & making plans. I told her, Our prayer had been answered. Knew she didn’t need me & i wouldnt see her anymore. That she didn’t need me hurt, but such cards are dealt. Closer than my mom, but not my mom.
All the kids eventually were tolerable to one another. The big ballistic drama we expected when MissT died didn’t happen. Was ready for it, spent a good bit of $ for it, but no. We have to go another direction. That is a good thing!
Not too crazy about cats in hse, but allowed #2 in this past winter. He thinks, Why are you so fat & hoggin’ up the whole space? is a term of endearment. Can’t imagine the antics of 2 such creatures. Hope y’all have big fun! & again thx!
The Elocution of James Corbett is impressive!
The way that Corbett delivers the words on this page definitely “tells The Story“.
The pauses. A conceptual message wrapped tight. A relaxed, comfortable “telling”.
Of course, James wrote it…so, it is his story to tell. And he told it well. The oral delivery, the way it flowed, conveyed what words on a page don’t.
As someone who has the dreaded “tied-tongue Texican lisp”, I greatly admire the skills that it takes to deliver an oral message, naturally and authentically.
In fact, the “revisit thoughts” of The Greatest Blessing is what woke me up this morning.
So, here I am.
I just finished relistening to the 6 minute read of The Greatest Blessing.
Thx for the memories this little interlude conjured up! Lessons from G’pa & Daddy… Real men are slow & deliberate, don’t get too excited too quick, & ready for emergencies. Carry hankies, pocketknives, & wear serious brims. “We can try” or “We can fix it, but it won’t be pretty.”
Recalling when i was 4k miles fr home living w/ in-laws (who were mostly out-laws) taking care of baby & my old man stationed overseas. i would wash the diapers each a.m. around 10. The Ancient Mrs. Williams of next door also hung out her wash at this time & we’d chirp back-n-forth. A most glorious time! The sun, fresh air, fresh clean diapers. Glorious smells!
The nite i nearly fell off the bed more than once w/ a nursing baby at wee hours bc i was so tired… Then it occured to me i could lay on my side & nurse & maybe the baby would have a dirty face or God forbid choke… Not a good thing to do, but i was desperate.
The times after relentless times, i would have to bust a move to protect my child’s innocence as long as possible. Anything goes in front of children… “They gotta learn sometime!” Or my fav: Everybody’s doing it! Ah, no. Everybody’s not doing it. We’re not doing it.
Of course, that weekly ritual of giving thanks which you wisely suggest is part of what we do on Sundays when all we creatures here below attend Church and praise God from whom all blessings flow. And now, thank you, James, for all your hard work. May God bless your continued efforts and the little ones in your care.