Blessed

If I could say the n-word i would start this post off with a Schoolboy Q lyric. However, to preserve my dignity and any chance I have at making it somewhere in rap... i'll just say i'm blessed.

I hear a lot of bullshit complaints everywhere i go... what twitter might call "#firstworldproblems". So and so dumped me, so and so found a new girl.... even something as trivial as "my fingers hurt." I think partially, people  like to stay in this negative funk because they LOVE to have the liberty to complain. My dad is probably pissed right now that the Twins are winning, because he'd rather sit on the couch nightly and bitch about how terrible Gardy's organization is.... i'm gonna try something though. Here are five reasons why I am blessed:

1) I'm alive. This may seem like a cliche or premeditated response, but really its true. I've lost three people near-and-dear to my heart within the last 12 months. All of these people were under 22 years old. When i was a kid, i never thought about death. The prospect of some crazy accident occuring and taking my life never seemed realistic; this year was an eye-opener. I'm very grateful to still be here and have the opportunity to live out my purpose for existing.
2) I come from a good family. Without my family I would be money-less, job-less, and altogether hope-less. Like every other nose-too-high teenager, I've had my periods of time where I've taken my family for granted. That now disgusts me. My mom is the kindest woman i've ever met, my dad can be a dick but has been there for me more than anybody else throughout my life, my brother embodies every brotherly characteristic i could ask of him, and my sister sends me puppy chow when i'm away at school. I wouldn't know how to love if it weren't for these people (insert soundclip of lil wayne's "how to love").
3) My friends. I've had some rough times... i've prevailed each one of them. I think the reason that we people develop friendships is so they can fulfill every role that our family can't. My friends have been the ones who've had my back when conflicts arise, and the ones that i've been able to talk to about shit i'm too embarrassed to tell my folks. They're the ones who kept me going throughout this difficult beginning of the year, and i'm humbled to have gotten to know such an amazing group. Can't really put into perspective the impact that each one of them has played in my life, but i have eternal gratitude to God bringing them to me.
4) My health. I'm kinda lanky... my ears are pretty big.... i flinch when you get towards my nipples. But, i'm healthy. I've actually never even broken a bone. Sometimes i feel guilty about this, cuz i hear horror stories of infants developing leukemia and i legitimately wish i could take their pain away and onto myself. A lot of my family is plagued with both physical and mental diseases and it's hard to watch... but i'm okay. I'm breathing, i'm functioning, and i feel good. Not a day goes by i don't have utter appreciation for that.
5) My future. It's crazy to think that there's nations on this earth that put the chokehold on children being able to dream. I've been told since day one that i can be WHATEVER i wanna be, and i have no doubts whatsoever that that's true. I actually don't even stress about my future in the least bit because i know that wherever i end up, i will be happy, and that the cards will fall where they should. I'm lucky to have such supportive factors in my life, including our democracy, that allows me the freedom to construct the future i want to.

Think about why you're blessed. It's therapeutic to realize how much you have going for you

-jack