I've made so many mistakes in my life

[Droopy]

yet I'm probably a pretty lucky guy. Here's a few of the biggies:

I've started two businesses that failed and that I never should have tried. I went 45 mph down a snow covered interstate in a big truck and wound up jack-knifing. I've almost been shot on two different occasions because I used hang out with some pretty rough people. I almost killed myself when I relapsed because I decided to go off my medication. Busted for possession of marijuana. Busted for criminal trespassing. Dropping out of college to go work in a machine shop making $7 an hour. Doing a lot of LSD- which is why I have to take the medication. Buying a house that I couldn't afford and almost going bankrupt.

The reason I say I'm lucky is that despite all that, I've come through it all ok. I got out of the businesses and sold the house before I ruined my credit. I could have been fubar in that truck accident, but I came out of it untouched and nobody else was involved. Insurance covered the truck. Almost getting shot because of your friends will certainly make you re-evaluate who you hang out with. It took me two times, being the dumbass that I am, to learn to give that tough guy shit a break. I never served jail time for the two crimes I was convicted of, only fined a few hundred dollars. Despite dropping out of college, I've got a good job now making 40k a year which is enough to live comfortably in my neck of the woods. I was very lucky in that I got treatment, was insured, and had a supportive family when I was suicidal. If it hadn't have been for my folks and competent mental health professionals I probably wouldn't be here right now. As for the LSD, I totally fucked up my brain chemistry by doing it, but I'm alive and well now to tell the story.

I'm not rich. I'm not blessed with a wife and kids. I certainly won't ever be able to run for office with all those skeletons. But I think I'm pretty lucky. What do you think?

[MnFats]

1. i think you're pretty fortunate...

..to have as much going for you now as you do.
..you made some bad decisions and it cost you.
..still, you have a family and despite, as you say, screwing up your brain chemistry, you seem to have your wits about you. A lot of people who went through the same sort of stuff crashed and burned.
..learn what you can, and keep moving.
..bless you. hope things go well from here on out.

[Droopy]

2. Thank you, MnFats

Yeah at 32 I guess you could say that I finally have my head screwed on straight. Too bad it took so long. I never grew out of that teen-age phase of knowing everything until I was about 30 or so.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. Pretty lucky! You remind me of a Joe Walsh song that always spoke to me,

as I have been smacked by the back hand of Fate more than a few times myself.

I don't know the name of the song but it begins:

"My Maserati does one-eighty-five,
I lost my license, now I don't drive."


The chorus is:

"It's a wonder I'm not crazy after all I've been through,
Life's been good to me so far."

[Droopy]

5. Yeah that's a pretty good song, and appropriate

After all the crap I've been through it's ironic that I can say that life's been good to me so far. I guess it's all in the way you look at things.

[slor]

4. Wow, you have alot...

in common with me. Glad you are still with us!

[serryjw]

6. Whenevr I feel sorry for all my bad decisions.......

I think of Christopher Reeves. How can you have EVERYTHING and a moment it all changes. His last 9 years were so tough but he did it with asmaile and left one hell of a legacy.

Glad things are so good.

[Droopy]

7. That's a good idea

Next time I start wallowing in self pity I'll think of Christopher.

[Nay]

8. Yep, you're pretty lucky all right.

Plenty of folks who did less than what you did are in prison or pushing up daisies. Good for you, and keep up the good work.

[daddybear]

9. That points to one thing....

if Bush steals this election, all that will pale in comparison to your life the next 4 years....

[Nikia]

10. It means that you are a forgiven person

Live the rest of your life accordingly. I have a good friend with a shady past and that's what I told him too.
Then there are others of us who have tried to be the best people in the world our whole lives and still make mistakes all the time. Go figure, I have to be human like everyone else. Sometimes, I wish that I had a period of time where I significantly screwed up more than I am screwing up now. I want to be a forgiven person too.