Don't Know What You've Got...

...until it's gone.

As of about 6 hours ago, I got my computer back. I have been working from my iPad for the last 10 days, and although it's done a great job and truly been a life-saver, I'm so thankful to have my laptop back. Working on something without a mouse or a track pad can be quite challenging. Thankfully, because of a sweet Christmas present from the in-laws, I was still able to type fairly easily with my case slash keyboard. The only bummer was not being able refer back to emails for specific dates, data and info that were stored in folders on my computer. (If I've been a bit slow to respond to some of your emails, this is why). All-in-all though, it wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it also wasn't something I hope happens again in the near future.

One of the (many) reasons my computer landed in the shop was for a broken off headphone in the audio jack. For the past several months, I've been receiving audio into my left ear only and had earphones dangling from my computer most of the time. I also had to have them plugged in and spun in a certain direction to get any sound, so it was always a little adventure if I wanted to put some sound to lips moving on my computer screen. It's funny how much you come to miss good quality sound when it's not available at the drop of a hat anymore.

With that said, the first thing I did when I got my computer back was plug in my headphones and watched a YouTube video. It happened to be our engagement video (shameless plug) which I happen to think sounds better with sound coming into both ears :) I'll tell you what, I had a smile ear-to-ear when I heard that clean, crisp and loud sound come through my headphones. It's funny how something I never really thought about much in the past is now so treasured once it was compromised and/or taken away.

So here's my question, what's that thing in your life? If you're anything like me, the list can go on and on and on. It's amazing how many things in the past, and still in the present, I've taken for granted. I've taken my family for granted. My education. My friends. My God. My work. My relationships. My health.

The last one was a big one. My health was something that I never really focused on. Yeah, I took care of myself, did my treatments, went to the hospital and did the "CF thing", but I can tell you that others were way more focused on my health than I was. It got to the point however that I started to take it for granted. I was fooled (by myself) into thinking that I could do the bare minimum for the rest of my life and get away with it. After all, I felt great and was able to do anything that I wanted. It all came crashing down in January of 2009. That was the month and the year I realized how fortunate I was to have the health I had been given. That was also the month I realized how much I had taken that gift for granted. It's so easy to do.

I know try to live in such a way that the "small stuff" no longer passes me by without my appreciation. I try to remember that many things I experience are privileges and not rights. I try to remember how I felt when I almost lost everything. Most of all, I try to appreciate everything and everyone that has been brought into my life by a Man who knows me better than I will ever know myself.