I am thankful

for the physical ugliness I was born with
because it means that
I would not be conceited or think
that people would like me
just because of my physical appearance

I am thankful
for my not-so-good intelligence
when I was at school
because that means
I should study much harder than
anybody else who was more clever than I was.

I am thankful
for the disciplines
and restrictions that my father
brought me up with
because it means I had a father
who cared about my future,
about what kind of woman I should become
by living by the lessons he gave

I am thankful
for losing
my childhood fun with my school friends
but taking care of
my sick mother instead.
It means that I was lucky,
I could be with her when she needed me.

I am thankful
for someone I met in my life,
who would later be my hubby,
whose most characteristics were
(and still are) contradictory to mine,
because it means I had a chance
to learn how to tolerate
and love him for what he is

I am thankful
for the man I married,
born to a simple family that needed to work hard
to get something he wanted.
That means he would be a man
who appreciates every cent he earns
and uses it wisely

I am thankful
for raising my kids
without any babysitters,
because that means I had a lot of chances
to learn how to take care of kids
and watch them grow before my very eyes.

I am thankful
for all the pain I have gone through
that sometimes even I don't understand
why, as a weak person, I've at last had the ability
to cope with.

I am thankful
because without all of the pain
I would not have the courage
to face life,
and would not have appreciated
any gain and blessings I have been given,
even if those given, were the smallest ones.