This morning I was looking through old pictures to send to my son for his birthday, and came across one of me at lunch with my 3 friends from our Dream Group. It’s from 18 years ago, and we are younger, of course, and beautiful. Now of us four, one is dead, one has had a stroke, one is going for cancer treatments, and I am the one who has not had those things happen.
It put me into a whirl of conflicting emotions when I realized the impact of that photo. It’s not because I am “better” in any way, although maybe the fact that I got on natural and organic food 50 years ago made the difference. It’s not because I have been kinder or more creative or more fun than my friends, that’s for sure.
Undeniably I have good genetics in my favor, but what I came to was that I can never know the why. It’s one of those things that is just not mine to know, even with all the variables considered.
And so I did the only thing possible in that recognition: I bowed my head and said Thank You. Sometimes, often, that is the only response that brings comfort and peace, and the only response needed.
Sukoshi Rice is a health and wellness practitioner in Blairsville, practicing since 1985. She can be reached at sukoshir@gmail.com or www.sukoshirice.com