Not a life and death issue.

I interpret life. My way. For the purpose of living happily. Some people give a somber interpretation to the events in their lives. I don’t. Preferring, instead, taking things that have gone awry and making them right. One way or another. But mostly by looking for positive and upbeat meaning. A long-term positive outcome. For instance, the early premature deaths of my maternal grandparents more or less forced my mother into a marriage of convenience. Had that not happened, I wouldn’t have been born. Therefore, I was blessed by others’ misfortunes. Someone always seems to benefit. The Pittsburgh Pirates lost their home owner yesterday.  Made some Pirates baseball fans sad. But my Chicago Cubs won the game. Made me happy. I often benefit from others’ misfortunes. And others reap dividends from my perceived mishaps. Maybe the creator meant to favor some, and not others. Or more likely decided to let the chips for where they may. Randomly. But then, maybe the Pirates fans gain more benefits than anyone. By learning how to accept adversity.  Yes, it’s an individual choice. Some do find benefit in loss. Some don’t. Choosing instead to lament and allow the loss to ruin their day. When the Cubs lose, I often remind myself that it’s a mere ball game. Not a life and death issue. –Jim Broede