lou gehrig - or As good as it gets - or What goes down must go up

Today's hike of 8+ miles was rated as "Very Strenuous" and that was spot on. I doubt if it had 10 feet of level ground and went down a couple of thousand feet before it climbed the exact same amount. I took it today because it was in the 50's and windy and cloudy and will be in the 80's by week end. So it was today or never. OH, I took it because it passed 7 waterfalls.

What does this have to do with Lou. Well, a few weeks before he died, interestingly enough, of Lou Gehrig's disease, he gave a speech at Yankee Stadium in which he said that he considered himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. Personally, I normally wouldn't put dying and luckiest man in the same sentence.

HOWEVER ...

My sister recently lost a dear friend in a freak accident. Another dear friend, who reads this, has Parkingson's and probably has not had a pain free day since she was diagnosed months ago. She and I used to jog together and had made plans to hike with our dogs. Speaking of dogs, she had to give up some physical therapy because her dear dog, a great friend of Guy, had torn ligaments in two knees and she opted to pay for Ranger's operations rather and gave up the PT. In my last job I worked for an organization that provided services to homeless LGBT kids who were thrown out of their homes for being fags, trannies, and queers. My job before that was with an organization that worked with special needs kids, those with intellectual, physical, emotional, or developmental disabilities.

I'm definitely not a glass half full type. It seems life sucks for so many dear sweet people and it doesn't get any better.

For those of you who know me, you know that I am a minimalist. I don't need a lot (ALTHOUGH IS A DECENT CUP OF COFFEE TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR!!!!!) I live in a subcompact. Yet, my days are spent doing something I really love (although I AM SORE AS HELL RIGHT NOW!!!!) In a way I have all that I need. How many people can say that? So, if this is as good as it gets, it ain't that bad, especially when you read the "HOWEVER" paragraph.

However, if it IS as good as it gets, that is a very depressing thought.