Back in 2020, I suffered a massive heart attack. Despite being in relatively good health, exercising regularly, keeping a well-balanced diet, and being a life-long non-smoker, my world came to a screeching halt on a Friday evening right after I had signed-off from work for the day. During my five-day stay at the hospital, I received some rather sobering news: The doctors had given me less than a 20% chance of surviving the evening of the attack. Luckily, they were wrong. Nonetheless, my life was fundamentally changed. And being that I’ve always believed that every event in one’s life is a teachable moment, this particular one branded a clear message into my prefrontal cortex.
That experience caused me to lose a part of my heart. What I gained was a deeper appreciation for life. Years prior to all this, I had written that every uninvestigated moment is a lost opportunity for wonderment. As I lay in a hospital bed for days on end, I soberly realized how little I knew about life up until my unfortunate episode. But as my thoughts turned to focus on my beloved, it was then that I realized how much I already knew about all the goodness that was around me but had simply chosen – by choice or circumstance – to forget or ignore. In essence, I had become a high-functioning loser.
In deference to both Alanis Morissette and the rock group Chicago, isn’t it ironic that I had to lose to win? Maybe. But when you think of it, that’s the very definition of life. What we lose during our existence we often gain in perspective. That is, if you’re strong enough to see what resides on the other side of losing.
I’ll share with you one more thought I wrote eons ago: Happiness is a state of find. Stop worrying about what you’ve lost or if life has been unfair. You’re always going to lose something, and life isn’t about fairness – it’s about awareness. Put down your smartphone, forget whatever critical project deadline you might have (because they’re all equally critical and forgettable) and go outside for a walk; it’ll do your body and mind a world of good. As you go along, look around and take deep breaths; make-believe that there’s no time but the one you’re in at that very moment. To borrow from another artist, John Lennon, I wonder if you can? I guarantee that, if you take these moments to explore your surroundings, you’ll find amazing little things that will lighten your heart and put a smile on your face.
In the end, the person with the most smiles, wins.
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