Not Ranting

It has come to my attention that I am prone to the 'angry rant' post! So let's try to even things out a little. This post is not about what angers me. Instead this post is about the things that I am happy about and thankful for.

I do believe in giving thanks for all that you have because one of mottos that I live by is that "God doesn't give you more than you can handle". Most people interpret this to mean the he doesn't give you more pain and anguish than you can handle. I also believe that it applies to blessings. It is my belief that if you are not appreciative of the bounty that you have received then you have shown that you can't handle success. You'll soon see that your horn of plenty will start to dry up. So here are the things that I am thankful for:

I am thankful to be a dad. Not a father but a dad. A man fully engaged in the development of his child. Don't be mistaken; I'm not purporting that a man needs to be in a traditional situation. I understand that relationship between a man and a woman fail but the relationship that should not fail is the one between a man and his child. I am thankful that I even have the opportunity to fulfill that role. I know many couples that can not conceive and I know men who have been robbed of the ability by caustic adult relationships. I consider myself blessed to be a dad to my little one.

In that same vein, being a dad means being a teacher. So I am grateful to be a teacher but not just to my daughter but in a number of different arenas. I believe in sharing knowledge and I jump at the opportunity to do so. I am an educator by profession but I am called upon to be a mentor and teacher by other groups as well. I am thankful that I am viewed as a resource.

Funny enough, I also give thanks for my adversity. Just like light is defined by darkness and yin is incomplete without yang, success is sweeter when you know what defeat tastes like. There is something about achieving in face of adversity that makes your bounty even more special. Also, you learn not to sweat the small stuff because you know what a REAL problem looks like.

And lastly, I am sooooo thankful that I don't have to date in this current environment in NYC. I listen to my friends and family as they navigate the dating scene. When I was dating, here weren't all these crazy things to consider: facebook, online dating, sexting, video games (yes video games). Even the newspapers are making it difficult. One of the NYC daily published an article titled "Why NYC men suck"? C'mon man!!!! I say all this to say that I am happy I found my Queen.

So there you have it: a relatively happy, non-ranting post. You're welcomed. I cannot, however, guarantee that it won't be followed up by a post about some stupid thing that happens to me on the MTA!!

These are my thoughts...what are yours?