Monday Morning Musings

Posted on May 25, 2020 under Monday Morning Musings with 3 comments

The glass is half full

“Ooh, what a lucky man he was

Ooh, What a lucky man he was.

Lucky Man – Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Why I am a lucky man.

The accident of birth brought me into this world in this small community in rural Nova Scotia almost 69 years ago. Every time I contemplate this number, I momentarily shudder until I realize that while the pace of life continues to accelerate, I am so fortunate to have made it this far. My father and younger brother were not so lucky.

My hometown is not perfect but pretty damn close. We have hummed along nicely since 1889. We live in a part of the world that is blessed with mostly good weather, avoiding major catastrophes. We don’t have a lot of heavy industry in this part of the province blessing us with clean air and clean water. Ocean breezes refresh us, and we are surrounded by rolling hills and lots of forests. Our economy has always been quite stable with a university and regional hospital as major anchors of the economy. Farming, fishing, forestry, and tourism round out the picture. Covid-19 will test our resolve, but we have shown resilience in the past.

Our roots in the Cooperative movement are in the collective DNA of the community.

I am lucky to have been born into the MacDonald/O’Flaherty family. Both my father and mother’s families were musical, and this gift continues to be passed down to our offspring. My parents left us with good compasses to navigate our way through this challenging piece of work called life. My siblings are good people and are a great source of strength and comfort especially when the road gets bumpy. Nobody is guaranteed a smooth ride.

My children continue to inspire me. They are making their way during a very tumultuous and unpredictable time. They make beautiful music when they have the chance to get together and even when they can’t physically be there, the wonders of the internet and technology allow them to share their music with others. They are socially conscious and responsible citizens. Betty has supported me and allowed me to pursue many adventures. Our grandchildren. Well, I’ll just let you choose your own words. Most of my readers are north of 60 and many of you have grandchildren so rather than me gush, you already know what I am going to say.

I am especially lucky to have inherited my mother’s energy. I am frequently asked about my apparent zest and passion for life and the energy that this entails. I always point to mom. She was an unstoppable force and the word “can’t” never crossed her lips. She didn’t always succeed in everything she did, but she was never afraid to try. Ditto for my late brother, Tom.

I am so, so lucky to have friends including those of you who are reading this post. Many of you I know quite well, some not so much , and, a handful of you that somehow stumbled upon my website, not at all. Having friends is every bit as important as air, water and food.

At this point in my life, having good health is the thing that makes me feel like a jackpot winner every day. I know that this will not be the case forever. One never knows what is around the next turn in road’s life.

Yes, I am truly a lucky man and I am consciously grateful of my good fortune.

Have a great week.

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