recieved in an email by ben olam haba...

I just heard a funny quote yesterday. "When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep, like my grandpa, not screaming in terror, like the passengers in his car." Yup, it's funny. I laugh every time I think of it. But it got me thinking about it. Did you ever think dying could be a blessing? No, I didn't either. But there are so many ways one could die- in a car accident, in a war, in a mugging, in a hospital- or safely in one's bed, at the end of a long and peaceful life, satisfied with your many accomplishments and all the little joys Hashem has given you. All those people you've heard of who've R"L passed away young, suffered through terrible illness, died violently... did you ever take a minute after those stories to close your eyes and think, "Baruch Hashem that wasn't me. Thank you, Hashem, for sparing me. Thank you for giving me the chance to keep on living my life, and allowing me to perhaps die peacefully in my sleep, in the far-away future, instead of suffering a terrible death like this person did, R'L." And then- if we can be thankful for something like that, surely we can find so many other things that are way easier to be thankful for! The fact we woke up this morning and could sit up, move our hands and feet, get dressed on our own and feed ourselves- how many people unfortunately cannot do even that? The fact that we are surrounded by family and friends who love us and care for us and worry about us and are there for us when we need it, the fact that we have a warm home to live in, with walls around us and a sturdy roof over our heads, the fact that we have something to eat and something to wear- and plenty of each- how many, many people in this world cannot say this? How many people do not have a tenth of what we take for granted each and every day? Thinking of this each day makes me so grateful for everything I have, so happy in what Hashem has given me. What right do I have to be upset when parking takes a little longer than I'd like, or when my kid spills her juice on the floor, or when my neighbor knocks over my garbage can yet again when he pulls out of the driveway? These are such minor, minor things in the course of life- I'm so lucky I have a kid, I have a car, I have a house and a neighbor and a driveway... Hashem has given me a multitude of brachos and I just need to remember that each and every day.