I almost clicked by Mike’s blog without appreciating it. He leads a happy life with a wonderful wife, great kids, good friends and cute dogs. His posts have titles like “What she means to me,” “The three greatest kids in the world,” and “Did I mention that I’m a grandpa?”
But I paused and read further because this guy seemed so genuinely happy with his life. Out here in the wilds of Blogostan, we spend so much time focusing on problems, idiots, and other unhappy things, whether they be the latest outrages from the evildoers in Washington or the dumb-ass bloggers who support their every crime. Whereas people like Mike with his marriage, kids, and dogs are either invisible or caricatured.
So, I thought, this is great. We need to recognize the good with the bad. And then I came to this:
I have two auto-immune diseases: Ankylosing Spondylitis and Pulmanory Sarcoidosis. AS attacks your joint and specifically your spine, and PS attacks your joints and lungs. So, my bones are under constant attack, and my lungs have been compromised by little nodules called "granulomas" so I don't have as much real-estate for transfer of air to my body. I am on morphine every day, and take other pain killers for when that isn't enough. Needless to say, I'm not terribly thrilled to have this - given that I'm only in my 40's.
Just because it seems trite to note how uplifting it is when those who suffer the most appreciate life the most, doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful.
And even without the travails, I think my original impression stands. Nowhere in his writings do I get the impression that Mike needed debilitating diseases to find happiness. Nor should the rest of us.
|