LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS FAIR

Some people would say it was love at first sight.  Others would be sure it was only infatuation.  I know what my opinion of it is.  You must decide for yourself.  All I know for sure is that the first time I saw her she was the prettiest woman I had ever seen.  No movie star could come close to her.  She was one of those women that stood out from the crowd no matter what she was wearing.  She never had a hair out of place.  She knew just what jewelry to wear with each outfit.  I have no idea what perfume she used but it was intoxicating.  Never to strong of a fragrance but kind of like the smell of a beautiful rose.  She was always smiling it seemed.  Did I mention she was an older woman?  I guess at one time or another all males have an older woman in their life.  She drove a baby blue Ford convertible.  I'll always remember riding in that car,  the wind blowing through our hair, the radio playing and us laughing just watching the world go by.  I wondered at the time if life could get any better.  She always knew just what I needed.  When I was in pain, she would gently put her arms around me and pull me close to her until the hurt was gone.  If I made a mistake or did something wrong,  she was never critical but always encouraged  me.  Because of her, I experienced things I never would have otherwise.  She introduced me to different foods than I had ever eaten before. She was able to show me a lifestyle I couldn't afford.  We spent everyday in seemed at the country club.  I learned so much because of her.  I did mention she was the older woman didn't I?  Did I mention she was married?  She also had two children. They were great kids and I loved them also.  I even like her husband.  As I think back, I believe our biggest obstacle was the age difference.  She was in her early 30s.  I was 4.  Her name was Vivian and she was the mother to my first best friend Jeff.

 I mentioned Jeff in an earlier post and said we experienced many "first together. We met at the age of 4.  Jeff's family was what I guess you would call upper middle income today but at the time they just seemed "very rich."  Jeff's father was a pharmacist and worked in a drug store that Jeff's grandfather owned.  In fact he owned at least two drug stores and a lot of real estate.  At one time he was Mayor of Decatur.  The family were members of Druid Hills Country Club and we would spend everyday of the summer there around the pool.  This is where Jeff and I both learned to swim. After swimming all morning we would sit at a table on the patio overlooking the pool and order anything we wanted to eat.  We never needed any money,  we would just sign our names.  I can remember going to the drug store at night with Jeff's Dad, Frank, to close the store.  This was in the days when there were soda fountains in all drug stores.  After the doors were locked and while Frank would go into the back to tally the books,  Jeff and I would go behind the soda fountain and make ice cream concoctions mixing everything behind that counter in them.  Have you ever noticed when your a kid, everything with ice cream in it taste good.  At that time of my life, I thought the coolest thing in the world would be to grow up to be the best soda jerk ever.   Ohhhhhhh,,,,the dreams of a kid.  At another time I wanted to grow up to be a garbage man because it looked like so much fun to hang on the back of the garbage truck and ride through the alleys where  we played.  Of course even at this young age I knew I could never be a garbage man because they were all black men and I was white.  I decided because I couldn't be a garbage man,  I was being discriminated against even though I had no idea the meaning of the word at that time.  So I would just say "Life isn't fair." 

As I've gotten older and think back on my life, I still think" life isn't  fair. " The difference between now and when I was young is the definition of fair has changed.
At a young age, fair was what I desired.  When I think of fair now I think of what I deserve.  When I think of my wife and kids,  my grandchildren,  my parents and really all of my family.  When I think of my health and the health of my family.  When I think that we've always had food to eat and shelter over our heads.  When I think of all the friends that have been in my life and all the wonderful times I've shared with these friends and family.  When I think of this great country I live in and the freedom I have. When I think of God's love for me and in fact all of us, of His mercy and providence and grace.  When I think of His patience and forgiveness.  When I think of His willingness to provide a way of salvation for me through His Son Jesus Christ.  I can say with a strong conviction,  "LIFE ISN'T FAIR."

I'VE RECIEVED MUCH BETTER THAN I DESERVE.

THANK YOU GOD.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL