A couple of days ago I happened upon the following quote from the author Andre Dubus. "We don't have to live great lives, we just have to understand and survive the ones we've got."
It struck me that there is a lot of wisdom in this quote. This comes from a writer who suffered many tragedies in his life but still soldiered on in spite of the setbacks. I think that most of us at one time or another, or even continually, want to live great lives. Often our hope is to achieve at levels that exceed our contemporaries. We want to be known for greatness that will stand the test of time.
However, life has a way of throwing us curves. Author Dubus had a daughter who was raped and caused him to continually fear for the safety of his loved ones. He was also tragically injured in an auto accident which crushed both legs. Ultimately he suffered amputation of one of his legs. I am sure he continually struggled to understand these events. And so it is for all of us. We encounter the good and the bad. Beyond that, we survive and deal with our fate, whatever it may be, and hopefully we live a good life in harmony with our family, our friends, and our society. In spite of it all, I am personally happy to say I find joy in many things that far outweighs the unexpected events of life.
As a note from a geezer skier, I am grateful that I can anticipate another ski season with my long time companions. I am not a great skier but I am happy with what skills I have.
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