Today isn't so bad

[Fat Jeff]

A little lint from my piko...

We all have bad days. I've had a string of those recently...work stress & home stress have been peaking and...it's tough, and relief is days away. So with my own "pity party" in full swing I left the shop (blessing) for home (blessing) on Tuesday. As I settled into the comfy seat of my new car (blessing), I noticed a fellow had settled into the first parking stall by the back door of the shop. He appeared to be homeless, in a wheelchair, with casts on both legs, his bagged bottle of the poison of choice by his side, fast asleep (by looks the kind of ragged, I'm exhausted, sleep...not the ahhhh I feel good kind).

I pulled out of my parking space and began to drive away when it hit me, that no matter my current state of affairs, I have an exceptionally good life...one I don't appreciate nearly enough. And I'm sure this is true for many of us when we look closely. We are blessed AND spoiled...and sometimes we need to be reminded how good we do have it.

[adrian]

Re: Today isn't so bad

Everyday I get reminded of how lucky I am. There's dozens of raggedy/homeless/lower(er) income people who walk pass my workplace daily.

dang, now I can't continue working because I'm thinking of how lucky I am.

[lavagal]

Re: Today isn't so bad

Eh brah! Daydreamin' get you in da unemployment LINE. Earn da paycheck! Go have some Zen Sushi at 12:30!

[tikiyaki]

Re: Today isn't so bad

I have a similar humbling ground zero I think about when times are bad.

I lived in Hollywood for 7 years on Fountain Ave.

About 1/2 mile down Fountain on the corner of McCadden St, there lives this guy in a wheelchair...looks like he has Cerebral Paulsey, judging by the headset he wears and his overall contortion he's in, in the wheelchair. I've seen people with CP before and he looks like this.

He can't move, talk, or do anything really, and I doubt his brain functions like a "normal" human being. They have a ramp built for him to wheel him from the house onto the front lawn, where he sits everyday, as budding and wannabe moviestars,rockstars, models and other Hollywood types drive by, talking on their cell phones, going to auditions..whatever.

He's out there pretty much everyday, just sitting. Who knows what he's thinking or if he can even really think at all....he can't move...he's pretty much a vegetable.

In my travels up and down Fountain Ave, I would see this guy, and it would always remind me that, as bad as it gets,no matter how broke I was, or struggling in my career, it could be ALOT worse...I could be this guy. Now, who's to say whether or not this guy's happy? Not me, but I know I sure wouldn't want to have his life.

I always think of this guy when things get bad, and it snaps me out of it.

Blessed, indeed. Sometimes we take the simple function of breathing, walking , thinking and talking for granted.

This guy reminds me how foolish that is.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Today isn't so bad

I have a similar humbling ground zero I think about when times are bad.

I lived in Hollywood for 7 years on Fountain Ave.

About 1/2 mile down Fountain on the corner of McCadden St, there lives this guy in a wheelchair...looks like he has Cerebral Paulsey, judging by the headset he wears and his overall contortion he's in, in the wheelchair. I've seen people with CP before and he looks like this.

He can't move, talk, or do anything really, and I doubt his brain functions like a "normal" human being. They have a ramp built for him to wheel him from the house onto the front lawn, where he sits everyday, as budding and wannabe moviestars,rockstars, models and other Hollywood types drive by, talking on their cell phones, going to auditions..whatever.

He's out there pretty much everyday, just sitting. Who knows what he's thinking or if he can even really think at all....he can't move...he's pretty much a vegetable.

In my travels up and down Fountain Ave, I would see this guy, and it would always remind me that, as bad as it gets,no matter how broke I was, or struggling in my career, it could be ALOT worse...I could be this guy. Now, who's to say whether or not this guy's happy? Not me, but I know I sure wouldn't want to have his life.

I always think of this guy when things get bad, and it snaps me out of it.

Blessed, indeed. Sometimes we take the simple function of breathing, walking , thinking and talking for granted.

This guy reminds me how foolish that is.

I haven't been in Hollywood for a period of time long enough to take this in firsthand, but I can only imagine...Tinseltown must be one of the ultimate compare and contrast cities for the unfortunate and the ridiculous socialites.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Today isn't so bad

there lives this guy in a wheelchair...looks like he has Cerebral Paulsey, judging by the headset he wears and his overall contortion he's in, in the wheelchair. I've seen people with CP before and he looks like this.
... He can't move, talk, or do anything really, and I doubt his brain functions like a "normal" human being.

Powerful reminders, all these.

Just had to throw in a note on Cerebral Palsy, related to the highlighted part quoted above. In CP cases, generally the brain functions quite normally - but it's the body that refuses to cooperate, due to damaged or destroyed "connections" to the brain. CP is a frustrating disability in this sense; your brain knows what's what - but your body misbehaves or doesn't allow you to communicate.

I dated a woman with Cerebral Palsy for a few months; her particular community of disabled individuals really cut through a lot of b.s. for me, and ripped my eyes and my soul wide open. I stay in touch with her all these years later, and still can't believe how much she and her friends were willing to tolerate my ignorance at the time.

[Pomai]

Re: Today isn't so bad

With this thread, I'm thinkin' of the song "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins...

She calls out to the man on the street
sir, can you help me?
Its cold and Ive nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?

He walks on, doesnt look back
He pretends he cant hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh think twice, its another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, its just another day for you,
You and me in paradise

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see shes been crying
Shes got blisters on the soles of her feet
Cant walk but shes trying

Oh think twice...

Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that shes been there
Probably been moved on from every place
cos she didnt fit in there

Oh think twice...