I have arrived, at the supposed highway, halfway mark of life. That’s a median guess based on statistics, there are no guarantees. I have learned a few lessons along the way. I am no more special, prettier, richer, smarter than most. Sure, I was granted a great big superficial life for a brief moment, filled with stuff, lots and lots of stuff. All disposable. Today, it sits in a closet waiting for someone fabulous I suppose, gathering dust. I prefer to dress down these days. Forced to live a smaller, more manageable existence where vacuuming the rafters, doing the heavy lifting and hard physical work counts. Choosing life and the 180 shift to survive, most days I move painstakingly slow. A work in progress, pig-headed acceptance with small town life comes in time variants. Life-long friends who never care about my mood, whether it’s fluorescent red, shady purple, mellow yellow or tequila blue help stay the course. Kindred spirits up for the walk. Have I been lucky? Damn straight. Have I been unlucky? That too. Fate can be a greedy, sarcastic bitch. Yes, some would some say I’ve been unlucky. Yes, but maybe so have you. They can’t see or feel the colors I’ve seen. The places I travel, without ever leaving home. There is nothing special, redeeming about me or you, or them. I welcome the day I am set free from this imperfect mind, body, left with only purity and lightness of soul. And the love. The infinite, crystalized, clear water well of love abundant, shared, given freely and received. To know love intimately, is to recognize special. I am special, after all. The halfway point overflows. The unconditional love of a four-legged, blind in one eye, loyal, sweet, funny, kind, compassionate creature teaches me. Everyday, and any season. No matter who or what has come and gone, no matter rich or poor, no matter which path I’m on. As long as I take the walk, even when not up for it, makes all the difference. Because quite frankly, she is the coolest, most special thing about me.