Blessed

Standing on my deck in the pre-dawn glow of this blustery morning, my mind forgets the stresses of the last week: Being on call at work. Fighting a 4-day allergy attack. Helping organize my parents 50th wedding anniversary party. Dealing with details from Lance's tragedy. You know, everyday type stuff. But as I stand here watching the rain and the wind, I know how truly blessed I am.

Except I don't feel that "blessed" is the right word. Of all of the meanings the word blessed has - holy, fortunate, joyful - the most common synonym I've witnessed being used would be "fortunate".
She is blessed with beautiful hair. He is blessed with musical talent. The couple is blessed with healthy children. These are things one has no control over. Or are they?
Compare that to: He is blessed with a great job. The family is blessed with a nice home. She is blessed with supportive friends.
Every one of these things takes work. Every one of these things takes commitment. It's  maintenance. Without maintenance, none of those things will survive. You could have the most gorgeous hair, but if you don't take care of it, it won't stay that way. A musical prodigy needs to be encouraged and honed to succeed. Healthy children are a product of their parents nurturing.

I've worked very hard to get where I am and to say I'm blessed, in the societal meaning,  just doesn't cut it for me. I didn't get here simply by happenstance. I wasn't just lucky. I trained my dogs diligently including  exercise and playtime and fed them healthy foods and have been rewarded with wonderful companions. I worked hard to build my career starting in high school by getting experience working and always having a job - no matter what that job was. Study, train, learn, move up.
"Blessed" is earned.