Try gratitude

 Nine years back, I was looking forward to turning 25. I can't say I felt the same way early this year. 25 was almost here and I felt like I was just sitting around doing nothing. ASUU has been on strike for about five months (2022 no be possible year of graduation again) so I've been out of school for that long. There was the constant worrying about how to cater for my parents so they could retire soon. Oh! my youngest sister had needs that I wanted to be able to handle. It was like my career pursuit was at a standstill and the matter of marriage, well, never mind. 

Fortunately, God was working all this out, gradually detangling the mess that my mind and heart was turning into. Gradually, I realized that I needed to be grateful for the 'little things' that were happening. I had to live a live of daily gratitude and contentment.  

So, I started a gratitude journal. The plan was to write 26 things I was thankful for from letter A to Z (I chose 26 because of the number of alphabets and my date of birth) And boy! Life looks different from a standpoint of gratitude.  When I saw my age mates doing amazing things, I thanked God for them and hoped things would fall in place for me. Hearing good news about my peers and classmates sincerely gladdened my heart. 

With my birthday just a day away, I am reminded of what matters most:

~I'm alive and in great health

~I have a family and amazing friends who love me for me

~I'm living a life of purpose

~most importantly, I have a heavenly father who loves me so much that I can never comprehend it fully.

 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"

Romans 8:38-39