By: Jenifer Chrisman
“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep...”
– Irving Berlin (White Christmas)
Having suffered from insomnia on and off the majority of my life, I have tried a vast array of sleep aid suggestions. From creating a calming bedtime routine to blackout curtains, practicing relaxation techniques (such as progressive muscle relaxation or deep breathing) to a “soothing” cup of tea (not a fan), I have tried anything (within reason) anyone suggested to get a good night’s sleep at those times. This extremely long list includes counting sheep, which wouldn’t even make my top one hundred. At best, it may have distracted my restless mind for a second or two.
In 2024, despite having watched White Christmas every year of my life, Irving Berlin’s Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) got me thinking. It was something I had never tried before. I mulled it over for a bit and finally decided it was worth a shot.
I won’t say it cured my insomnia, I wish, but it has certainly made falling asleep easier. And, if I remember to continue to do so each time I wake, it also helps me fall back to sleep faster.
Insomnia aside, in the hurly, burly bustle of today’s technological society, it is too easy to forget the little blessings we receive each day. The big blessings, graduation, marriage, new job/promotion, new child, and so on, stand out as if a spotlight is being shone upon them. But someone saying thank you, good job, asking about and listening to how our day was…those often get overlooked.
We receive so many little blessings each day, they become commonplace. They shouldn’t. Because no matter how bad we think we have it at any given moment, there are always others out there who have it worse. And, even on the great days, taking time to note the good things in our lives makes that day even better.
Since I started taking the songs advice, I have come to realize not just the value of, but also the importance of, counting my blessings at least once a day. It is far too easy to wallow in the negative.
Often, without any conscious realization, we get hung up on the past, distant or near. But the past is exactly that...over and done with. We cannot go back and change it. And none of us know what the future may hold, when our time on this mortal coil will come to an end. All we have is the present. It is a gift and should be treated as such.
Starting each day with a clean(er) slate, the worries, frustrations and sorrows eased, or even erased, by acknowledging the good in our lives, is a blessing in itself. After all, if we don’t try to acknowledge the good, at best we are spinning our wheels. At worst, we are wasting this life we have been given.
While it is not a cure all, ruminating upon the positives is a far more productive use of our time.
