Winning The Lottery

Today - 29 years ago - my daughter-in-law was born - without any help from me. Someone else pushed her out and rocked her through the long nights. Someone else put up with her when she was two, and all through her teenage years, hugged her when life was tough, and inspired her to greatness. Someone else did her laundry and paid for her college.

Then, when she was all grown up, she said "Yes" to my son, and I felt like I had won the lottery. A free child! For nothing! All done, and there to just add to my bunch of kids to love. Several Yes-es later - what appears? Another free child! This one little and cute, and with a 22-year free care and maintenance agreement. This makes me a many times over lottery winner from the first day my husband took me into his arms. I just keeps getting better.

We know we don't earn, or deserve, "winning the lottery". It is simply good luck and something that overwhelms us with gratitude, as well as a sense that the Universe loves us in spite of our shortcomings. It is humbling, really, for we have no right to expect such things. This feeling of abundance does not require all the things we think it would come from though. It requires nothing. It is an inner treasure we carry with us all the time.

There is no question we can feel that way just being alive considering the odds of all of us being here in the first place - billions of years after some Big Bang in the middle of nowhere.

Our grandson always has this look on his face as if he had just won the lottery - especially when he runs into his Mama's arms. He knows. Happy Birthday, Mama - you rock - keep on rocking - while we are all flying through space together!