Hard Times?

It seems that most everywhere I go lately, be it real life or in cyberspace, people are talking about hard times. People are struggling with paying the rent, paying the bills, feeding the family, finding work. People have lost jobs, families have lost their homes. Everything has gone up in price, getting from here to there costs more if you're driving a car, and it all adds up. It is easy to get focused on the struggle, on how bad things are. It's easy to worry and fret.

At the same time that I'm hearing about hard times, I'm reading The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck. It's our book for this month's book club, and it has given me a different perspective. I've realized that while things have gotten more expensive, I have got it really, really good. We have the tools and experience to garden and put up some food for year-round use. We have our little flock of happy hens. We have food in the pantry, clothes in the closet, wood in the woodpile. We have a stellar library system that keeps us entertained, and we have real-life and internet friends all over the world. Best of all, we have one another.

Sure, I could point out things that I would like different. There are things that I want. I could make a list of all sorts of things to worry about and fret over, but instead, I'm going to count my blessings.

What about you? Have you hit on hard times? Are you struggling? If so, what do you need? And if not, how are you blessed?