.....It matters not how long we live, but how we live. And it’s the “how” that evokes the struggle, and it’s the struggle that must be met with unmitigated courage. Life is awesome; it’s like the ball in a roulette wheel; the wheel is a spinning planet, and the ball is you, and wherever the ball stops demands your undivided attention, for the wheel will turn many more times, and the ball stops in many more places, and they are either winning slots or losing ones, and how you deal with them decides your fate. You are free to choose your way in life and how you live it. If you are thoughtful and careful and mindful, you may be fortunate enough to choose wisely enough to win, more often than not, and to be able to deal with the losing slots courageously.
…..At one time in my life I chose to go off to war; I survived and I learned. And following this war, I was alone, and so I chose a mate; and the fact that human lives miraculously evolved from that union is fascinating to contemplate. I and the girl I married are the cause--the source, if you will--of eight little beings who enjoyed no existence at all (that we know of) 63 years ago. Now, there is a philosophical and metaphysical matter to ponder and to wonder about! And now that they do exist, as adults, I wonder if they appreciate their lives—and the parents who bear the responsibility for them and their own children. Strangely enough, it was not very arty or technical, but an extremely simple and enjoyable procedure requiring very little skill to conceive them. In fact, their mother and I could have created many more if our religion and our inclination was different—but we thought the first four who came--from wherever they were before--was sufficient for us. Since then, our offspring have brought us joy and pride. Luckily, I’m fortunate that the roulette wheel stopped in the winning places four times.
…..Happily, the wheel did not stop turning with our sons and daughters, for they created their own joys—for us, called “grandchildren”. Why they are called “grand” baffles me; it could become a kind of dangerous hubris. But, to continue with this strange eventful dissertation on the mysteries of life, at least some of my own genes have been passed on to them—Now, there are four more that exist as well as the “originals” making a total of eight who did not exist 63 years ago, and so I have become a family patriarch and my (ex) wife a matriarch. These positions are full of wonder.
….. The motivation for this strange, eventful blog are e-mails I received from two of the “originals” regarding the Grand Children. One of them, Sean, graduated on May 21 from the California School of the Arts with a BFA degree. Even before he went to this prestigious school, his paintings were shown professionally. His cousin, Katrina, is now a Petty Officer in the United States Navy, (as was her Grand Father) and two of her cousins have their own achievements to add to the resumes of their lives which also occurred on May 21st.
It was announced today by the DC Water & Sewage Authority that Adam is the co-winner of their nation-wide graphic arts contest for a new logo. Along with a cash prize, Adam will be honored at a public ceremony to be held 15 June to unveil the new rebranding design. The image cannot be revealed until the ceremony.
…..And Adam’s sister:
Hannah has been selected to exhibit her artwork at the Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art this July. She was informed today that her selection includes a grant that will cover all shipping costs to Moscow. This is significant, since her work, which weighs over 75 pounds would cost about $1,000 to ship via FedEx. The grant might also cover her travel expenses to Moscow, but she won't find out all those details until she arrives.
…..Is it not amazing that the Roulette ball fell in winning slots for both Adam and Hannah and Sean on the exact same day, May 21? Life is awesome; living it is an adventure—and a gamble. Bet wisely. (Check out yesterday's blog if you missed it)
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