My neighbor, and friend, Audrey O'Neill passed away on Christmas Day.  She was 39 years old and survived by her husband, 9 year-old daughter, and 19 year-old stepson.  I attended her Memorial Service yesterday and was really touched by her husband's eulogy.  She had been diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and had started a journal a few days after her diagnosis.  He read a couple of pages from her journal. 

One of her last entries was written this year (2008) when she and her husband returned from a trip to Prague.  What struck me is that she wrote a list of 10 things she was grateful for just for that one particular day.  Her husband said she tried to write 10 things each time she wrote in her journal.  I thought it was such a great idea.  She was grateful for "small" items such as returning safely from her trip; her children were safe; her mother, who took care of the house and kids, loved her; she was happy to see her two dogs; etc.  These are things that some of us may take for granted, but Audrey was able to recognize the importance of those things just on that one day.

She told her husband many times, just live for the day.  Be grateful for the day.  You may plan for the week, the month, or the year, but the one day is so precious.

So as we all get older, busier, overwhelmed, let's take Audrey's advise and be grateful for the day. 

Thanks for reading,
Jules