Today is Monday. A beautiful, breezy, sunny day. A wonderful day to be alive. I have my health, my family, a job with stability, and the love of my life loves me back, just as passionately as I love him.

I've defeated a battle with weight control, a fight that many are unable to conquer. I have a strong, healthy body. I'm not groutesqly ugly and I have all my own teeth.

I’ve crawled from the gutter and provided a stable, loving home to raise three strong, independent and intelligent children. I've lost a wonderful mother before I could tell her how much she means to me. I've survived an emotional battle with my father and continue to work on building that relationship to this day.

I've lost good friends and made new ones. I've made enemies and turned a cheek of forgiveness to those who've betrayed me.

I have a life that no one dreams of, yet many envy.

I have hope for the future and I have forgiveness without regret, of the past.

I have a passion for life, a reason for living, the gift of laughter and the quest for self-improvement.

Today is Monday, just another day, an incentive for surviving until tomorrow.

Rick, today is Monday, and this one's for you.