Perspective

This week was Thanksgiving.  Of course this brings up all that we are thankful for.  But why are we thankful?  I have found that perspective plays a big role in how we view things.  A few years ago, I was up all night with an excruciating toothache.  I was to get a root canal in a day or so but in the meantime my head was on fire.  So at 3am I got up, crying from pain and frustration, put on my coat and set out for a 24 hour Rite Aid.  This was in December and it was extremely cold for Sacramento.  I got in the car and drove out of the parking garage to the street entrance when I saw something in the visitor parking.  It was a bundle of blankets, a person sleeping there in the bitter cold.  At that moment I had an epiphany: I may be in pain but I am going to drive in my nice car to a 24 hour store, buy all the toothache remedies I can find with my money that I have plenty of, drive back home to my nice house and crawl under the covers, safe and warm.  And in a day or two I will get a root canal which I can afford to pay for, and everything will be fine.  And this person has to sleep in the bitter cold in a parking garage.  Perspective.