I was given a gift early this week.  Tuesday I was told I could again hold a camera in my left hand…allbeit for limited periods of time.  Sounds like a given, no?  Just pick it up. Shoot! Take it for granted because it will always be there.

I had enough of an interruption in the use of it, that when I got it back it caused me to pause and look at how blessed I am.  First and simply I have a working arm. In fact I have two of them.  If that seems less than a given and it is not your idea of a blessing, ask returning members of the Armed Forces how they feel about missing limbs.  Ask a child because of birth defects that is missing a limb.  Ask a cancer patient. Ask any accident victim.

A friend took me for a drive.   I “saw”. I shot. I quietly reflected.   They aren’t great images that will inspire anyone but me.   My shoulder hurt a little, so it was a very restricted time with the camera, but it was a gift from God for me.  It stopped me from that place of expectation where everything is perfect and we assume it to be our RIGHT rather than a GIFT to us.

Apples to bake with. Apples to snap a shot of. Apples to enjoy looking at.

What are you taking for granted that perhaps it would be nice to reflect for a few moments what it would mean to you if you lost it?