As I get older, I'm constantly amazed and relieved at all the disasters and misfortunes I've somehow managed to avoid, despite all my personal failings and extreme scattiness.While others have been plagued by huge debts, nasty illnesses, homelessness or chronic addictions, I've been lucky enough to get through life without any serious burdens dragging me down.
I'm not an addictive personality, so I've never succumbed to over-indulgence in drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling or dieting. I'm naturally inclined to moderation in all things, some would say excessively so to the extent that I'm too guarded and never let go enough.
I've always had a horror of debt, so I keep a close eye on what I'm spending. I'm convinced that I only have to be in hock to the tune of a few hundred pounds and this'll trigger off a breakneck slippage to the sort of eye-watering debts you read about in the papers.
I've managed to hold on to my home, even when jobless or earning a pittance. Of course in my younger days I made do with seedy bedsits hardly big enough to swing a cat and the rents were correspondingly modest. And it helps if you have someone else to chip in with a hefty mortgage.
Grisly illnesses have so far passed me by, despite my sister having MND and my father having a stroke at 55. Being a vegetarian with a fairly healthy lifestyle must reduce the risk but only up to a point. I've never been in a serious car crash or done a hazardous job. I missed the Kings Cross station inferno in 1987 by a matter of minutes.
How come I'm not labouring under some colossal mishap? How come I'm not in jail or in a street doorway or in a rehab centre? It could easily have happened if my life had taken a different route. There but for the grace of God go I.
good luck would have got you some of the way and good management the rest.
ReplyDeletei'm glad you're going well.
You are very fortunate man. Stay healthy and safe!
ReplyDeleteKylie - I guess so, good management and common sense must have something to do with it. But I think luck often plays a bigger part than we realise.
ReplyDeleteGrannymar - Well, apart from the heart problems, I would say you've been pretty fortunate yourself. But then you're very level-headed, you wouldn't do anything too rash.
Karma Nick, Karma. Good Karma at that too!
ReplyDeleteRamana - Yes, that must be it. I've been so saintly in all my previous lives that this one has been especially blessed!
ReplyDeleteThe luck of the draw, Nick, I would think. We are formed long before birth. You never took chances so reduced the odds of serious mishap and often we rebel against childhood environments. My father was overly cautious and most of his children are chancers (myself included).
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to compare overall feelings of wellbeing in people as a result of what kind of personality they are, isn't it?
XO
WWW
Well Nick, you may steer clear of over indulgence and debt and general recklessness, but the censor at Virgin Gyms deemed your blog unsuitable for access because of its adult content lol. What do you think of that?
ReplyDeleteMe too!
ReplyDeletewww - I'm generally cautious but I've taken chances with jobs and homes that have worked out happily. It's funny, Jenny and I both had cautious fathers but I'm cautious and she's adventurous!
ReplyDeleteHulla - Goodness me, what adult content? Sex? Cross-dressing? Homosexuality? They must be remarkably prudish at Virgin.
Suburbia - Me too what? Denied access at Virgin Gyms?
Those of us blessed enough to enjoy similar fate would be as wise to count our blessings to. No, life hasn't always been easy, but for the main part it has at least been livable!
ReplyDeleteCount your blessings indeed young Nick and touch some wood for good measure! Lucky bastard!
ReplyDeleteI think being a vegetarian counts a bit more than you think, at least from what I know...
ReplyDeleteI've seen some changes on medical tests due to that and exercise. Like you, I stay away from debt and try to be sensible, but remain flummoxed about several things...
Best of all is the fact that you realize how lucky you are and don't waste energy envying others, which is a pitfall many others can't seem to avoid.
ReplyDeleteI make a point these days of reminding myself that I, too, am incredibly fortunate.
Tattytiara - A life that's livable is the main thing. As long as the difficulties are always minor ones.
ReplyDeleteBaino - I count my blessings every day. And I'm always very aware of those who are not so fortunate. There are far too many of them.
e - Glad to hear being vegetarian is proving beneficial. And I always think that debt is easy to get into but hard to get out of again.
Heart - Envy is something I seldom feel. Other people may appear to have better lives, but scratch the surface and things can be very murky underneath.
Me three! Lucky, I mean. :)
ReplyDeleteMegan - Glad to hear that. May the luck continue!
ReplyDelete