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Life is a crapshoot

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In the past three days I’ve been to two funerals and a graduation – all of which have left me thinking what a crapshoot life is.

Some of us lucked out on the first throw of the dice. We had the perfect parents, a mom who never drank while she carried us, a dad who considered his family the ultimate gift. Our baby brains were pristine and our spiritual and physical nourishment were well taken care of. That first flip of the wrist through the grace of God when our DNA was determined didn’t include dyslexia, depression, cystic fibrosis or a multitude of other diseases. We had happy, healthy childhoods and morphed easily into responsible adults.

For others of us, toss number two was much luckier. This time around we caught a break. We scored adoptive parents who managed to cherish us in spite of our handicaps. We found teachers and educators who recognized our talents and gifts that allowed us to grow into our full potential. We discovered a principal who didn’t just think outside the box, she burned the box.

Some of us finally found the right medical help for our health challenges. With the help of skilled traditional and homeopathic physicians and nurses, we were able to find hope in a black world. We found friends who accepted us just as we were.

Others of us found a life partner who loved us in spite, or perhaps because of, our many foibles. They helped us to face a scary world where everyone but us knew just how to cope socially. They helped us become the kind of parents we wished we could be.  

On the flip side, some of us lucky early in life now got the wrong numbers. Capital “C” cancer or one of its ugly counterparts took hold of our body, and suddenly a life that had been carefree and joyous became a grueling exercise. Our lives became a nightmare of pain and suffering.

Then for some of us, Lady Luck paid another visit. After months and sometimes years of prodding, poking and prying, our bodies became recognizable again. We beat the odds.

A lot of us are three times lucky. Aside from a few minor aches and pains, we’ve managed to arrive at an advanced age relatively intact. Those spotless pathways our brains came with are still, even with the odd lost keys, functioning just fine. And while the body may sag a lot more than we wish, basically it still does everything we want it to – although sometimes a little more often than we want it to.

So you see, life really is a crapshoot. With every toss of the dice, it’s my hope you’re in it to win it.