Worth a Reprint

From a reader. Please read this because it's great wisdom for us all:

"...Side note (and apologies in advance for weighing down the levity, but i wanted to share this with you & anyone else who might find it worth perusing): Yesterday, I attended my friend's little brother's memorial service. He was 23 years old, and a great kid - warm, kind, compassionate, funny as sin, and had this cute mug that was always plastered in what many lovingly referred to at the funeral as his unique 'shit-eatin' grin.' Though his passing at such a young age is indisputably awful & sad, the service was unbelievably inspiring and I took SO much away from it. Namely, how much energy I've wasted in the past on inconsequential things - whether a big ol' honkin' zit on my chin or some shmo that dumped me on my birthday or one of my siblings making a crappy remark at dinner. It's embarassing, quite honestly. How could I ever gripe?? How lucky am I?! To be healthy; to have a strong capable body that might not be a size 2 any more, but serves me well. To have a job that affords me a comfortable existence. To have family, no matter how nutty they might be. To have friends who are as dedicated to me as I am to them. To live in a great old apartment in this fantastic city. To have the ability to laugh and enjoy and celebrate and feel and love. my friend's brother squeezed every bit of goodness out of life, appreciated the hell out of what he had, and infused everything/everyone around him with his positivity. Yes, work can be stressful. Yes, our parents can be wretchedly annoying and nitpicky. Yes, we get stuck in traffic jams. Yes, friends and loved ones disappoint us. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with acknowledging when things rub us the wrong way, and having a good old-fashioned gripe. But if we could all take a bit of the energy we spend on wallowing in what irks us, and re-focus it to something uplifting - whether it be recognizing how wondefully fortunate we are, or doing something altruistic and kind for someone else - I think we'd all be in much better shape. I hope your folks know how lucky they are to have a daughter who is brave and well-spoken and quirky and vibrant. Like you said, in the grand scheme of things, all the mishegas simply doesn't matter. Surround yourself with goodness..."

I haven't the words. This was a beautiful comment.