There are times when we become so preoccupied with what is missing that we fail to notice what is already there.
For Eleanor, it had become something of a habit.
At fifty-four, she had imagined her life would look rather different. Her children were grown, her career had taken a turn she had not expected, and the home she once pictured sharing with someone was still hers alone.
She was grateful, of course. She had a roof over her head, a job that paid the bills and a family who loved her. She knew there were people facing far greater difficulties.
Yet, some mornings, gratitude felt like something she had to work at.
That particular Saturday, she sat at her kitchen table, scrolling through photographs on her phone. A former colleague had just announced her retirement. Another friend was celebrating the birth of a grandchild. Someone else had posted pictures of a family holiday.
Eleanor smiled as she looked through them, then put her phone down.
“Lord, I am happy for them,” she whispered. “But when will something good happen for me?”
She had prayed that prayer before. Many times.
The Things We Keep Waiting For
Her younger sister, Grace, had invited her to Sunday lunch the following day. Eleanor had almost declined. She was tired, and she did not particularly feel like making conversation.
But Grace had insisted.
“Come on, Ellie. You haven’t seen the children in ages. Besides, I need your help with something.”
“What sort of help?”
“Nothing serious. Just come and you’ll find out.”
Eleanor sighed. She knew better than to argue with her sister.
The following afternoon, she arrived to find Grace in the kitchen, surrounded by vegetables, saucepans and the usual family commotion.
“You’re late!” Grace called.
“I’m seven minutes late.”
“Seven minutes is late when the potatoes are waiting!”
Eleanor laughed and took off her coat.
The house was full of noise. Her niece was trying to settle a restless toddler, her nephew was looking for a missing shoe, and Grace’s husband was attempting to keep the gravy from boiling over.
It was ordinary family chaos.
Eleanor helped with lunch, listened to the children’s stories and laughed more than she had expected. For a few hours, she forgot about the things she had been dwelling on.
After the meal, while everyone else settled in the sitting room, she began clearing the table.
Her niece, Hannah, came into the kitchen carrying a small child.
“Auntie Ellie, can you hold him for a minute? I need to sort something out.”
Eleanor took the little boy into her arms.
He looked up at her, reached for her necklace and began to giggle.
“Well, hello there, little man,” she said.
He rested his head against her shoulder.
For a moment, Eleanor stood perfectly still.
An Unexpected Conversation
Later, Hannah found her sitting on the sofa with the child asleep beside her.
“You look comfortable,” Hannah said, smiling.
“I think he’s decided I’m his favourite aunt.”
“He’s not wrong.”
They laughed.
Then Hannah became a little quieter.
“Auntie, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you ever feel as though your life hasn’t turned out the way you expected?”
Eleanor looked at her.
“Quite often, actually. Why?”
Hannah hesitated.
“I’ve been struggling lately. I look at everyone else and feel as though they’re moving forward while I’m standing still. I thought you might understand.”
Eleanor was silent for a moment.
She knew that feeling rather well.
“I do understand,” she replied. “More than you might think.”
Hannah looked down at her hands.
“Sometimes I feel guilty for being unhappy. I have a lovely little boy and a good husband. I should be content.”
Eleanor gently shook her head.
“Being grateful doesn’t mean you never struggle. You can love what you have and still find parts of life difficult.”
Hannah looked relieved.
Eleanor continued.
“But don’t let what you haven’t got make you overlook what you do have. I have spent too much time doing that myself.”
The Blessing in Front of Her
As she drove home that evening, Eleanor thought about the afternoon.
She remembered the laughter around the dinner table, the little boy sleeping against her shoulder and the conversation with Hannah.
She had arrived expecting to spend a few hours helping her sister. She had not expected to be reminded that she was needed, that her presence mattered and that she still had something valuable to give.
It was not the answer to every prayer she had prayed.
Her circumstances had not suddenly changed. The questions she carried were still there.
But something had shifted.
She had been asking God to show her what was next, while overlooking the people and opportunities He had placed within her reach.
Perhaps the blessing had not been hidden after all.
Perhaps she had simply been looking in the wrong direction.
When she got home, she made herself a cup of tea, sat by the window and opened her Bible.
Her eyes settled on Psalm 103:2:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
She read it again.
Forget not.
It was a gentle reminder that gratitude requires attention. It asks us to pause long enough to recognise the goodness that can become so familiar we stop seeing it.
Eleanor closed her Bible and smiled.
“Thank You, Lord,” she whispered. “For the things I have been too busy waiting to notice.”
A Different Way to Look at Tomorrow
The next morning, Eleanor sent Hannah a message.
I was thinking about our conversation yesterday. Remember, you are not behind in life. Give yourself room to grow, and don’t overlook the good in the season you are in.
Hannah replied with a heart.
Eleanor put her phone down and looked around her quiet kitchen.
There were still things she hoped for. Prayers she was waiting to see answered. Dreams she had not abandoned.
But she was beginning to understand that she did not have to postpone gratitude until everything fell into place.
God’s goodness was present in the small things too. In a family gathering. In a conversation that came at the right time. In a child who found comfort in her arms. In the opportunity to encourage someone who needed to hear that they were not alone.
Sometimes, the blessing we almost miss is the one sitting right in front of us.
And sometimes, recognising it changes the way we face tomorrow.
A Thought to Carry With You
Is there something good in your life that has become so familiar you have stopped noticing it?
Perhaps it is a person, an opportunity, a place of safety or a simple provision you once prayed for.
Take a moment today to acknowledge it. You can still pray for the things you hope to receive. You can still long for change. But do not allow tomorrow’s unanswered questions to rob you of today’s reasons to give thanks.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for the times I have become so focused on what is missing that I have overlooked the blessings already in my life.
Open my eyes to Your goodness in the ordinary moments. Help me to appreciate the people You have placed around me, the opportunities You provide and the quiet ways You remind me that I am not forgotten.
Teach me to remain hopeful without becoming blind to today’s blessings. Give me a grateful heart, even while I wait for the things I have asked You for.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture for Reflection: Psalm 103:2
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”