Love what you have... you may lose it...

Everyone hears the old saying, "You don't know what you have until it's gone." Some of us have learned what that means.

Every person has regrets. They have something they look back on and wish didn't happen. Some people look back and see a mistake or an event that they wish they could go back and change. We lose something that we took for granted.

I can't come out and say I've got a major life changing event that has forever altered my existence. I know there are plenty of people who have lived through horrific things and come out on the other side without something that used to be vital to their existence. There are people who have lost someone who was their life.

What I can say is I do know the feeling to an extent. I have lived through some events that made me realize I squandered something amazing, or I lost out on something that I never realized was so important. It leads me to this conclusion... Live your life knowing that you are blessed.

Every day that you wake up, be thankful for everything you have in life. Be thankful for the people you have. I used to feel like I had no family. I used to feel very alone. One day I woke up and realized that I had an awesome one all along. I was so focused on myself and my life, that I failed to realize who I had around me. I saw a father who, despite his own problems and issues, never ever let me fail or failed to be there when I needed him. When I realized that he became my hero, and has been ever since. I finally found my sister. I realized I had the best friends anyone could ever ask for.

Some days I dread going to work. I dread the long hours, monotonous work, and the BS I have to put up with. Then I realize some people dread waking up because they don't have a job to go to. I have a secure job, a roof over my head, food in my fridge, and money in my pocket. Every once in a while I have a car that works. Millions of people in the world don't have any of that. They suffer day to day while I am lucky enough to be blessed with all the comforts I have.

I was lucky enough to play 15 years of football. I LOVE football. I miss every day that I don't step on a field to play. I ache to put pads on and hit someone... but injuries took that away from me. 15 years of getting hit and hitting people left me with a battered, broken, and surgically repaired body. I wouldn't trade it away for anything. I ache every day. My neck, my back, my knee. I get headaches, I don't remember some things, I feel older than I am... but I would never trade it for a life without football. I miss it so much that it hurts sometimes. I always wonder if I had done a few things differently... would I still be playing today? I wonder if my life would be better or worse? I'm not sure, but I would never change what I've done. I had a great run, and I have a lot of great memories. At least I have the battle scars to prove that i played hard. I got to play at a great high school, and got to play college ball. How many others can say that? How many people can say they got to do something they love for so long?

So, all in all, what I am trying to get across is that you should appreciate what you have, and never envy those who have more than you. You should appreciate what you have, because you never know when you may lose it. Love your life... no matter what bad things happen to you... know that you are very very lucky to have what you do, and that you could lose anything at everything at any time. Live for your enjoyment... not for your envy.

Carpe Diem... Seize the Day.

~Ian