I won the lottery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe my luck.... I know they always say the odds against it are astronomical, but I realize that I've actually won!!

I'm rich beyond belief!!! How did I ever get so lucky???

Which one? Well, actually it's one that has, amazingly enough many winners, who unfortunately don't realize they've won yet, and so are missing out on celebrating their amazing luck.

First off, I'm talking about wining the odds of being here at all. Scientists tell us that the odds against intelligent human life on planet earth developing were "one out of an unimaginable number".

I'm pretty fond of being alive, so already, I realize I'm way ahead of the game.

Next, I realize that for most of recorded history, the principle of individual rights has not been recognized, much less protected. So if man has been around for a few million years, I've hit the jackpot in being born at the right time. (not even mentioning that even in modern times, I'm one of very few generations of young men who have not gone off to war, being a Canadian baby boomer).

And even though I was born at the right time to enjoy freedoms, I also had to have the incredible luck to be born in the right country, because freedom is not something most people can take for granted. (ours is not full by any stretch and we need to be vigilant to maintain and improve it, but that's a subject for another blog entry).

As a result of these freedoms, the incredible potential of human creativity and innovation was permitted to flourish producing a standard of living unheard of in history, including, plentiful and safe food, shelter, health care, access to heat in winter, air conditioning in summer, clothing, indoor plumbing and clean water. Due to this technology, I have access to the greatest talents of today and of history, through literature, music, theater arts, sports and all forms of entertainment. I'm also connected to the world community in a way even my own father only one generation back, could not have imagined.

Now, if that isn't enough of a lottery win, I had the amazing good fortune to being born to great loving parents, and wonderful siblings, so that my formative years are full of great memories and great role models.

Today I find myself in a challenging and rewarding career that I lliterally stumbled on, meeting someone in a mall who I knew, and who told me about an opportunity I had never considered previously.

I also have 4 wonderful children, and 3 grandsons, all of whom I am very proudl of and who enjoy their health for which I cannot be more thankful.

Last but not least, I met and married the greatest woman on earth, who cares for me, and supports me in every way, so that I share every success and every challenge, and look forward to going home to every single day, and miss when I'm not with her.

Lorraine told me today, she bought a lottery ticket because the current prize is up to forty million. OK, whatever, I won't lie, if that ever happened, that would be great, but let's face it, I"m already rich beyond belief.....and now all I have to do is do my best each day, so that in some small way, I can try to do the impossible, show that I in some way deserve all that I have.

I can't see myself ever accomplishing that, but I will die trying!!!