| Feb142010 | A Lucky Motherfucker |
The word “bittersweet” is a very good one. Is there a word like weirdsweet? Surprisesweet? Something to signify a moment of genuine gratitude for a stranger’s unexpected and kind words.
We were pre-gaming at a friend’s apartment. I was kicking back a few gin and tonics and I notice Diana having her palm read by a guy that I had met a few times now but hadn’t really spoken to. I didn’t catch what was said to her but before I knew it, he had grabbed my left hand and was examining my palm.
I learned this from my grandfather, he told me. I was surprised that he was serious. I thought it was a just jokey ploy to grope women’s hands. That’s what I’d do.
According to him, I’ll live a long life and be very lucky. A great career and a great marriage but I’ll eventually put the marriage ahead of the career; I’ll ultimately sacrifice my work for my family. But I’ve never seen anything like this, he says, you’re a lucky motherfucker.
Now, I obviously take this kind of thing with a grain of salt but this just happens to be very flattering, coming from a near-complete stranger and exactly what I wanted to hear after a stressful two months of breaking-up.
For the most part, I agree that I’ve been incredibly blessed with way more than I could ever ask for. Perhaps more than I deserve. I continue to unexpectedly stumble into good fortune in places I never thought to look. My parents didn’t have the rosiest of childhoods and somehow I was born into such a remarkably rich life full of potential. I’ve spent most of my time taking it for granted but in times of sadness, I never have to look very far to realize how good I have it.
And for me, family definitely comes before work. I follow my parents’ example of work being a means to an end; to leverage a paycheck to give their kids every possible opportunity. I have my own dreams of contributing to the world and being recognized for my work but at the end of the day, I see no greater prize than providing for the ones you love. Perhaps it’s too modest of a goal but like I said, I feel like I’ve already been gifted with far more than I could ask for.
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