My father was a good teacher.

Life ain't fair. I hear that complaint all the time. But from my perspective, things have a way of evening out. Eventually. Because good often springs from the bad. It's like when my dad committed suicide. A long time ago. Maybe the suicide initially seemed like a bad event in our family. But over the long-term, it was good. Made for a happier family life. And my mom went on to another marriage. Which resulted in the 34 happiest years of her life. If she had continued to live with my dad, she probably would have been unhappy. Because it was a marriage of convenience. Not based on love. The suicide also taught me to better cope with life. To make the best of bad situations. And to better appreciate being an alive and conscious being. Unlike my dad, I learned how to pursue happiness and true love. In that sense, my father was a good teacher. He nudged me in a good direction. With his suicide. Without knowing it. --Jim Broede