Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, March 10, 2011

I love living.
I have some problems with my life,
but living is the best thing they've
come up with so far.

Neil Simon, playwright; on this date, 1965, his
play “The Odd Couple” opened on Broadway.


I do too! I certainly have had problems. But I have always loved living. I’m also very very aware that I have lived a relatively privileged Life, compared to probably 95% of people on the planet. And that makes it a lot easier to love living. How I’d do if I lived in Darfur or Mumbai or Baffin Island or a favela in Brazil I don’t know. Nor do I know how I will feel about living if I can’t walk or I go blind or have to live with constant pain. To be perfectly honest, I’m basically a coward.

One thing that helps is that I get great enjoyment out of simple things: picking and eating sun-warmed raspberries; watching birds; sitting on the beach; looking at the stars on a dark night; walking through a meadow filled with California poppies; reading in the sun. Don’t get me wrong though; I would enjoy owning a small private elegantly-appointed jet, and having a sunny villa in Portofino, and being able to spend weeks on Lake Como!! With good friends, natch! But I don’t need this type stuff to be happy.

I also hold to the theory that you get what you invite. (Is that karma?) A loving openness to Life draws Life, and vice versa. There are always problems! That’s a given. But I’m sure you’ve noticed than one simple pleasure can trump a lot of pain!

So that’s me, Pollyanna Brian, signing off. Stop watching or listening to news. Eat warm fresh mango (leave it on the window sill in the sun). Walk a mile and a half every day as Dennis and I do (OK, OK, I apologize to all you in the snow and cold ….. but many of you tell me you love it!). Listen to the Symphony Hall station of XM. Read and nap each afternoon.

I love living. And (at the risk of sounding like Mr. Rodgers), start your local ILL Club and share the blessing. Never know: we might help heal the World.

Brian+