Count your Blessings~!!

Last night, while having supper with a bunch of friends, a friend opened up about his problems. His wife had just admitted to him that she had an affair and was cheating on him, amongst other things.

Turns out, he was only married to his wife for 8 months, after knowing her for one month, and knowing she had a son and a daughter from her previous marriage. The wife is currently only 26 years old.

I asked him the reason for marrying the wife after only one month, and he said it (the marriage) felt right. He could see himself growing old with this girl, strolling along the beach hand-in-hand and sitting on the bench, watching the sunset, when both their hair turns white.

This, coming from a guy who had a fiance of 5 years but had never got the feeling of wanting to get married. I totally respect it.

But, I can't help but wonder, what's fate? The guy has been asking himself the same question, but in a different way. He is also a christian, but he sees his fate as a test from God.

My pastor shared that woman is made from the rib of man... hence there is always one woman for a man. The right woman, should be the only right fit for the man. But my friend shared that, someone told him: Love is like a jigsaw puzzle. The whole picture could only be seen with the right fit. But its not everyday that we could all find the perfect fit. Sometimes, a piece that could fit nicely could do as well.

But, is it? To be at peace knowing that this is not the perfect fit, could keep you searching for it your entire life, despite already having a "nice" fit.

It seems, being contented is the answer.

Many a times, man drift towards many things, simply because they are not contented. There are just too many distractions in this world, and the world thrives on it. It thrives on the fact that man is driven by wants, not needs.

In my friend's case, he said that the wife started the affair after an argument with him. I believe that, if a woman is contented with her man, she would not stray. But then again, love is a two-people affair. If only one party is giving in all the time, it is not a relationship.

Just saw this post on my facebook: Happiness is a frame of mind [幸福是一种心态 - from www.12sharing.com ]

The post shared: [qutoed and translated]

Happiness is the feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment coming from leading a contented and happy life for a prolonged period of time.

But the forms of happiness and meaning of a contented life varies individually:

To a beggar, having warm food on his table is a form of happiness;

To a homeless wanderer, having a home of his own is a form of happiness;

To a man who lost his legs, being able to walk is a form of happiness;
To a man who lost his hands, being able to hug his family is a form of happiness;
To a man who is deaf, being able to listen to music, any kind of music, is a form of happiness;
To a man who is blind, being able to wake up and know it is morning, because there is sunshine filtering through his window pane, is a form of happiness.

To a poor man, having money is a form of happiness;
To the average man, being rich is a form of happiness;
To the rich man, being healthy/have a family/having time of his own, is a form of happiness.

At the end of the day, you will find that TRUE HAPPINESS lies in the smallest of things...
A small hug from a friend when you are down;
A listening ear when you need one;
A waiting light that greets you when you reach home in the middle of the night;
A declaration of "I love you" from the one you love;
An sms asking if you reached home safely...

Happiness is having graditude for all the blessings you have received on a daily basis.
Simplicity is a blessing;
Ability to feel content is a blessing;

So, count your blessings~!!

If my friend knew to count his blessings, he would feel less miserable;
If his wife knew to count her blessings, she would not have cheated on him;
If I knew to count my blessings, I would be a much better person than I am today...

If we all count our blessings, wouldn't the world be a better place?

I pray... that we will all learn to count our blessings. In Jesus's name, Amen.