Counting My Blessings

My husband and I have a little tradition we keep each Christmas season. We make popcorn and snuggle up to watch the movie, White Christmas, together. Real men watch Bing Crosby dance… in case you didn’t know.

Each year I get teary-eyed as the snow falls at the end of the movie and as Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney’s characters realize they’ve fallen in love.

My love and I get certain song lyrics stuck in our heads for days after we’ve watched the movie. And actually, there’s one song I try to recall often throughout the year.

There is a scene where Bing and Rosemary’s characters can’t sleep. They too snuggle up with a snack and then they sing a beautiful song with the following lyrics,

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep
Counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep
Counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep
Counting your blessings (Irving Berlin, 1954, White Christmas)  

I like those lyrics.

I admit that I don’t often live by them (or fall asleep by them!) Unfortunately, I sometimes find myself lying awake worrying about various things. Sometimes my concerns are valid and other times I’ve created imaginary scenarios that will never come to pass, but I spend time worrying about them anyway.

My worries or complaints don’t just occur as I’m trying to fall asleep. Sometimes I find myself complaining out loud during the day or fretting as my schedule becomes full.

 And that’s when I start counting.

I don’t count to three to try to regain my composure or to get one of my children to obey.

I don’t count how many items I have remaining on my to-do list.

I don’t count how many times I’ve lost my cool that day (or hour!)

 I count my blessings.

It’s a game changer, folks.

I’ve discovered that it’s hard to complain when you’re making a mental list of how many things have gone right for you on any given Tuesday afternoon. And even on terrible days, there’s always something that has been good.

I’ve found that it’s difficult to worry about the future when you’re looking around and naming all of the gifts you’ve been given in the present.

And I know that it’s hard to fret and bite your nails when you’re sinking your teeth into the blessings you’ve been fortunate enough to reap.

I have to admit that I don’t sound nearly as good as Bing Crosby or Rosemary Clooney when I sing this song in my head. But the attitude change that comes from putting these lyrics into practice sure does bring some beautiful harmony!