Gratitude

The past month or so has been a real struggle at our house. With the stress of med school applications and finals, Christmas, a portfolio that I must do, papers to write for my masters class, and the Praxis exam coming up, I've really been feeling stressed/depressed/nervous and we've had a major case of anxiety in our house.  On top of that, I've been trying to find the motivation to start training for a triathlon and getting my body back where it was a year and a half ago.  Well with all of the other stuff going on I just keep gaining weight which has made me even more depressed.  Anyway, this blog isn't to complain, it's actually to express gratitude for the struggles I have.
The other day I was talking with a friend of mine at work.  She was telling me about this horrible illness she had a few years back which had started taking over her body and her mind and making it so she literally couldn't even take care of her family anymore.  After hearing her story my problems started to come into perspective for me. I may have all of these things do and so what if Brian doesn't get into school this year and is it really that big of deal to be carrying a few extra pounds?  Still I've been kind of down in the dumps about all of this crap, but after hearing that friends story and now another friends story today I feel truly grateful.
I talked to a friend today who found out the day before Christmas eve that his wife has cancer.  She went in for surgery that day and the doctor found more cancer.  On top of that his mother and father in law aren't well and are living with him and his mom isn't doing well either.  His oldest child is 15 and his youngest is around 3.  Hearing his story brought tears to my eyes.  How can I be so pathetic to think that my stupid little problems are so stressful and so overwhelming.  My heart goes out to my friend tonight.  I can't even imagine the pain and the stress he is going through right now. 
I am so grateful that at the time being my family is healthy, we may be on the edge of insane, but we are healthy.  I realize I need to be grateful for what I have and know it could always be worse.  My thoughts and prayers are with my friend, his wife and his family.