Life Is Good

Yesterday – Tuesday, was one of those perfect days.  Nothing terribly special – no “over the top” happening – just time on a lake with a friend and time at a concert with George. 

In the aftermath of Monday, with the gut-wrenching bombing at the Boston Marathon, Tuesday’s roses smelled especially sweet.  How easy it is to slip into the rhythm of one’s day and forget to…well, smell the roses.  That ho-hum, almost blind perspective, where one day melts into another, is an easy place to dwell.

Then, in the blink of an eye, one stride of a runner and a cloud of white smoke, we are jolted to attention.  Everything shifts, again.  Our awareness of how precarious and precious our time is washes over us.  These moments come to us all too often.  Some carry national headlines.  Others, like the death of a loved one, are felt by an entire town.  And still others, like a cancer diagnosis, are personal and are felt by family and friends.   

 I have adopted the premise that no-one can hide from these blind-siding collisions.  My senses are ramped up to full throttle, and I’m on full alert….for life.  Yesterday’s paddle on the Sandy River Reservoir complete with a picnic lunch and a pair of soaring eagles, surely symbolizes the goodness in life. The college students’ jazz performance last evening most certainly celebrated the remarkable talents and exciting futures these young folks have.  Strolling home with George after enjoying a beer at our neighborhood pub, gave pause for some reflections.

 Bad things do happen to good people.  Life isn’t always fair.  Evil is real.   How you choose to deal with these truisms is how you measure your own serenity and happiness, and likewise how you impact the lives of others. 

I believe most folks have a good heart.  I think we’re connected with a common bond to help one another, figure it out and get along.  We need each other.  I believe life is good.  

Bring it on.