This has certainly been a year that no one will forget, even if many of us would like to.
The bad news seems to be piling up as we hold on and try to make it through one horrible event after another. It is hard, as many continue to social distance and try to stay safe, to remember the good things in our lives.
That is something that I am trying to do right now. It is too easy to focus on the negative. There is enough of that to drown us all. Let’s think about and talk about the good things in our lives, the positives.
* First off, I am so lucky that I have spent this time sheltering at home with my wife. The bottom line is that she is pretty cool. We get along great, love to laugh, enjoy the same movies and shows and like to do a lot of the same things. I can’t imagine being locked down with anyone else. I am very fortunate.
* My dad turned 86 on June 1. The best part of that is that he is in generally health and sharp as a tack mentally. He still worries too much, but he is engaged in everything going on around him, he is thoughtful, and his always sharp intellect is still there. I love talking to him and hope he is around for years to come.
* My son, who I have written about before, continues to impress me. After spending his teenage years being pretty lazy and taking probably 10 years off of my life, he has been an amazing adult. He has been named the sports editor at his university newspaper and is even writing news stories now along with sports. He is thoughtful, and smart as a whip. I am equal parts proud and relieved.
* My daughter, who was always the easier of my two kids, is getting married to a great guy in August. Well, at least as of now the wedding is still on. COVID-19 makes everything a little shaky these days. She is a teacher in Minnesota and is pretty much the best daughter any dad could ask for.
* I am healthy. Well, besides my Ding Dong addiction. Many people are struggling with this virus, including friends and family, so I do not take my health lightly. I am glad in our house we are doing well, and hope others are as well.
* Another great thing is that we have so many wonderful friends. We reach out to each other to check in. We have virtual cocktail parties probably more often than our doctors would suggest. We go on motorcycle rides where being together on the open road is no problem. We care about each other like family. That is something that I – a person who has moved around most of my adult life – do not take lightly. Good friends are like gold to me.
* How can I be too down when this paper has wonderful readers like Loraine, who recently sent me a birthday card? Thank you for the kind words – it was very touching!
We need to spend more time focusing on the good when we are surrounded by the bad. It has gotten to the point that I don’t even recognize my own country these days, and it scares and angers me.
But I won’t let the bad kill the good. There are too many great things in this world for me to be down for too long. I love my house, my dogs and even my job.
I am a rich man, and I would bet that many of you are rich as well. And I mean rich with the things that matter. Money does not make you rich, but love certainly does.
