Interesting times

"May you live in interesting times" say the Chinese – and mean it as a curse. If things are constantly changing around you, there is no peace.

As usual, my own little life is not interesting. (More about that farther down.) But the news is currently full of all kinds reports about lives elsewhere being far too interesting. Terrorists killing school children in Chechnya, one hurricane after another pummeling the Caribbean, Florida and soon the Mexican Gulf, odd-ball accidents (traffic and otherwise) and tragic murders (like the report in Sweden of a 16 year old stabbing a 14 year old). And of all things, a mosquito problem in Arizona (arid Arizona!), spreading the West Nile virus (the mosquitos breed in neglected swimming pools). I'm sure I've missed something, but that'll do. It's enough interesting times.

Why did I say "as usual" about my "uninteresting" life? Well, when I was a kid, I was in the Brownies and my grandma was driving several of us home after an outing. We passed a car accident on the way. It had just happened and one of the other moms with a carload of Brownies had stopped to help. I wanted us to stop, too, but Grandma said there was nothing we could do to help. I was disappointed; I was envious of the girls in the other car who got to "catch all the action".

Years later, after many "missed disasters" (happened on my day off, I arrived a half hour after it happened, etc.), I came to appreciate my natural knack for avoiding trouble. Whatever interesting times I have lived in, have also always turned out for the best for me.

I just came across this: http://greatday.com/ and I hope it can inspire both you and me to perhaps keep an eye on the good things in our lives, no matter how interesting other things may be. :-)