I Love Life

One of my first Christmas presents was a second hand tractor.
Three wheels worked and the other the rubber was falling off. It may not seem like much, but to me it was amazing. My parents were divorced, I lived with my siblings and my mom and we had very little. I loved that tractor. I remember how special it was until I heard my classmates at school talk about their Christmas presents. That tractor, given to me sacrifically when even food was a challenge, started to look different and eventually it was put aside.
I look back on that early gift and I wish I had kept it. I read stories today about the difficulty of caring for elderly parents. I remember caring for my mom and then being with her when she died of colon cancer. It was challenging to care for her and keep up with all the normal responsibilities of family and work, but I miss her alot.
I read another story about someone feeling like they were being taken for granted and I realize how much I take for granted. I am no longer poor. I have everything I need and I can buy whatever I want, but I long for the excitement of a second hand tractor that cost a fortune in sacrifice. I need to stop taking things for granted and to allow myself to be excited about the things that really matter.