The greatest lottery in human history is played out at birth. This is something you can never forget. The circumstances of your birth set your life in motion. Knowing that I will never fear for shelter or a meal is credited first and foremost to the infinitesimal probability that I was born at this time in human history, to supportive, kind, middle class parents. Because of this, I was afforded the courage to settle wherever I like. To establish our family in a place of my choosing and start a life together. Others are shackled to their place of birth or driven to specific places by necessity. We have had the good fortune to choose and must recognize it as nothing more than chance. Birth is humanity’s greatest lottery and being born to my parents and raised middle class and afforded educational opportunities, and so on, makes me one of the lottery’s winners. Your mother, as well. Consider the billions of people around the world who live in poverty. How many ever get the chance to improve their lives? How many encounter the opportunities I have enjoyed? The percentage is small. And what fault of it is theirs that they find themselves in such a situation? What factor does God play in the algorithm of humanity? How one of faith cannot be confused by this injustice, I do not know. 

My concerns are non-issues in comparison to the suffering of others. They are burdens, nonetheless, and no easier to manage, despite the awareness that I am a lottery winner. And maybe that is what I am trying to get at. What I am writing for, at least, in part. To navigate and explore my way to a place of contentment and understanding and impart that understanding to you. I do not think there is one magic thing that gets you there. An individual may achieve a level of wealth, or not, accolades, or not. They may maintain good health, or not. A lot comes down to luck. I suppose it all goes back to the age-old wisdom of living in the present. That all we really have is this moment.