Are you OK?

Visiting recently with a lifelong friend.. he'd been visiting with another of our lifelong friends.. she'd asked "Is Vic Schultze ok?"

In response, and in counting on the same question being asked of you........

Yes, I'm ok. You??

I'm much better than the guy on the motorcycle that perished on the Kit Bond Bridge this morning. I'm much better than the guy on I-35 in rush hour tonight, had car trouble... got his vehicle to the side of the road, only to be obliterated to heaven by a passing 53-wheeler.

I'm much better than my 94 year old aunt, bless her, whose pacemaker recently quit working.. and in her hell bent way, hours after the surgery, shoo'ed everyone so she could STAND UP and walk to the restroom.

I'm better than Vince Young and Terrell Owens, victims today of "the Turk" (ie, cut by NFL teams.)

Being almost 60, do I have a wonderful retirement, the same lady holding hands for almost 40 years - no, but I'm ok. If you are in this group, consider yourself blessed - but it's not the norm.

What exactly is OK? Is it David Glass, owner of the Royals who makes 8 digit profit (that's tens of millions) annually, but produces a team that finishes at the bottom every year? My only comment is, I do sleep well at night.

Again, OK is relative.. A) the commissioned sale's rep who made a sale representing six months pay in one transaction..? "B" (kinda sorta).. the high school kid whose folks wouldn't allow him to go to Prom because he'd just gotten a B- on his grade card? C) Your average Joe, making it thru another day.. D).. The father of the family of 8 whose van just shot craps.. F).. The person on the receiving end of the doctor's verbiage "you've got Stage 4 cancer."

Walking/living. We all do that. We, mostly, hide A/B/C/D/F well. Oh sure, if it's folks, relatives/loved ones we're around tons, we/they can tell. Most can't. Most (I think) mask "no, I'm not so Ok" very well. Within that masking, I gain confidence in the fact they aren't spilling the beans, whining, complaining, finger-pointing, spouting "why me?"...

I admire those you simply can't tell. I admire those who have the internal courage to say "yes, perhaps life is dealing me a blow, but I CAN/WILL take it." I admire those who know good comes after bad. I admire those who know, "Some days, weeks, months, years, are just gonna be crappy - I'll make it through."

I am admittedly happy, someone inquired as to "are you ok?"... Concern is a wonderful trait.

I genuinely hope you are OK. I genuinely understand and appreciate the things you've been thru, made it thru, are making it thru, to arrive upon that determination.

I hate (kinda sorta) going back here - but life likens the Mole Game at Chucky Cheese. Shit (sorry Don/Louise) happens in life, continually pops up - and we have a choice to melt, give up, end our lives, or.......... grab that damn mallet and say "I am/will be OK, take that, you little mole bastard!"

Are you ok, doesn't involve divulging "on a scale of 1 to 10"... Meeting the eyeballs of the asker, choosing to smile, replying "yes, I'm ok" lends that one is much closer to 10 than 1.

It's my bet even Michelangelo could have cared less about "that perfect canvas"... and that he had moments he simply wanted to take his brush, dip it in the paint and FLICK it as hard as he could at the easel.

Victor, you typed, a whole lot... maybe too much.. as usual.. but are you Ok?

My pat answer recently has been "yes, but do you know any single/divorced/blonde/rich fitty-two year old females?.. And in all seriousness, yes, I'm fine, and I truly am thankful you asked.

I hope all of you are Ok as well.

Love, Victurd