WORD OF THE DAY: LUCKY!!!

Lucky is not defined by what you have, but who.

It’s a tough to define concept, weighed differently by every observer.

For many, it means being blessed, which I get.

But those who know me, know lucky is my favorite personal descriptor.

I’m lucky enough to be an ‘easy lucky grader’, but many people put “their thumb on the scale” on the grading scale – not seeing how lucky they are.

All that came to mind this morning, Lucky the theme of my ‘grumbling beach walk’ – the tide an issue, too high to allow dry passage to the Coast Guard station.

An issue I’d dealt with the last couple of days by walking the paths to and from the beach, avoiding the ‘tide-jam’ at 5^th street.

Bugs seemingly everywhere on the paths, more grumbling ensued; a recent daily happening. I headed back to Goulds Inlet, walking on the beach and then home.

But the beach texture soft, not great walking consistency, leading to further grumbling.

If only grumbling burned calories…

I snapped out of it though.

I extended my walk past our friend David’s home, it with the most amazing ocean view. I once said “David, this was a million dollar view – now it’s at least 2 mill.”

He nodded and smiled, knowing I was off by half.

David gone, his house now a rental; no one there, I stood on his deck admiring the view,  remembering the great times we’d had there. His great human beingness, his perpetual smile.

A man who’d lost 2 of his 3 children and wife, never complaining. Never.

Who I know described himself as lucky beyond belief.

You might think, “Of course he was lucky- that house!”

But if David were here, he’d point to the people in his life for his luckiness: His son and wife, his grandkids, his vast legion of friends.

At his memorial celebration, I was lucky enough to speak.

My opening: ”I thought David was my best friend – this place is full of his best friends!”

He gave his life meaning with whos.

David thoughts knocked me out of my grumble-ossitude, and I headed for home.

But continued my think about being lucky.

My friend Ron came to mind, this week the 11^th anniversary of his death.

We met through our daughters, who overlapped through college, played soccer together, remaining best friends 25 years later.

Unfortunately, Ron had an aneurism, suffered a brain bleed, and through hospital negligence, his speaking ability severely diminished.

He spent years in a wheelchair, quietly listening, speaking occasionally – usually with the factoid none of us could recall – remaining one of the most mentally with-it people I’ve known.

Never complaining. Never.

His only negative words, describing a daughter’s ex-boyfriend: “He’s OK”.

And talk about the whos in your life: His wife, three daughters and sons-in-law loved and supported him for the 14 years of his illness.

But Ron too thought of himself as lucky: Lucky to have every extra day he was alive, to have  family and friends that loved him, to have grandkids, lucky to be Ron as long as he was given.

By my arrival home, I’d given myself a mental head slap, reminded myself I was lucky to be walking even the ‘crappy’ beach, lucky to have the day ahead of me.

And based on recent events, so lucky to have supportive family and friends: My Whos.  

My ‘perspective thanks’ to two friends in very different conditions, two of the luckiest people I’ve ever met.

And who both knew it.

What do I have to grumble about?

What do any of us?

ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER READING’:

Charlie Crockett has a new album out. It’s good.

LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH available on Amazon. Reaction very positive – if you haven’t bought it, please do. If you have, send a copy to a friend who’s had past experience with mental health issues, addiction, or family love and healing.