so blessed

Feb 14, 2011

Last night Blythe and I attended a youth fireside together. The speaker was a recovering drug and alcohol addict who has spent 13 years in prison, been a major drug dealer in our area making 40K a day (A DAY!!!), and been involved in disgusting, demeaning, and demoralizing activities since he was ten years old. His story was heartbreaking.

Afterwards, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my 14-year-old daughter. She has a completely different life than the life this man has had. He left home when he was 14. She is here under my roof. His parents didn’t know where he was from the ages of 14 – 24. I know where she is every minute of every day. He didn’t speak to his parents for YEARS. We have wonderful conversations on a nearly daily basis and at least some semblance of a conversation every single day. She is not tempted by drugs or alcohol at all. She is virtuous, modest, compassionate, dedicated to her goals, beautiful, fun, deep-thinking, obedient to God, and mostly grateful for her life.

She is everything he was not.

Yes, I am blessed.