that I am very blessed. I knew this already, of course, on many levels. I have a husband who loves me and lets me know it. I have healthy sons who are smart and good.

But I don’t always see what God has done for me.

The other day, I don’t know when or where, someone asked about being happy. I am happy. I have been happy for years now.

No, my life is not perfect and there are things I would change if I could. But I am happy. I have been blessed and I know it.

However, I hadn’t noticed that the arc of good in my life now overshone the arc of bad. I’ve had some really bad things happen to me. They were awful. Despite the bad my life has now been more good than bad.

God has been very gracious to me. I wonder how he has felt while I had all this good and didn’t recognize the overwhelmingness of it. I still don’t, really. I just have glimpses of “Wow. I have had it good.” I appreciate his patience. Thank you, God, for the good you’ve brought to my life- especially the good that has overwhelmed the bad by the strength of it and the length of it.

And I’ve noticed that, despite no diminishment of health problems, God has answered many of my prayers. For R’s photography. For my weight loss ability. For more work. For insurance that we can actually afford.

Thank you, God, for the good you have done in my life. For all the things I’ve noticed and thanked you for before and for all the things I didn’t notice but that you draped around me like a soft shawl.