If you believe in
Chinese astrology – which I don’t, or any other form of astrology either – I was
born in the year of the Water Dragon.
According to
Water Dragon, Inc. – is there anything for which there isn’t a website, or a company? – here’s
what that means:
“In Chinese element theory, water produces
wood, which signifies growth and is the natural element of the dragon. The
dragon governs east/southeast, wealth accumulation & the hours of 7 a.m. -
9 a.m. Associated with thunder, lightning and arousal, the Water Dragon
personifies creativity at its best.”
In spite of what
that would seem to imply, I’m generally not all that interested in love- or money-making
between seven and nine a.m. I need my coffee first. (I do enjoy the occasional
good morning lightning and thunder storm.)
I do also like to
think of myself as creative, though, and I am usually at my desk by eight a.m.
at the latest.
So I’m turning 60
on June 20th. If I believed in all this astrology nonsense it would
be the second most significant birthday of my life. (The day of my birth,
obviously being the most important.) I suppose 120 would be up there, too, but
I am unlikely to be around to enjoy it. In rough, realistic terms my glass is
probably no more than a quarter to a third full anymore.
It seems as good
a time as any for a bit of introspective reflection on where I’ve been and
where I’m going.
It’s been a very
good life, remarkable even. I have been extraordinarily privileged thanks to
the very good fortune I had to be born when and where I was and to my
particular parents.
I haven’t cured
cancer or stopped hunger or been the cause of peace breaking out anywhere. But
I do think I have managed to get some small amount of good stuff done in both the
public and personal arenas. (Undoubtedly some bad stuff, too, on the personal
level but hey, in his private life even Gandhi was no saint.) I am confident
that there are some people whose lives have been improved by some of the things
I’ve done. There are fewer who, maybe not so much – but they’ve got over it.
Don’t worry, I have
no intention here of listing what I think of as my accomplishments. Though I do
take pride in enough of them that I feel I’ve made an adequate, even if not herculean
effort to live up to what I regard as my responsibilities to our planet and the
people who inhabit it. I have every intention of continuing those efforts.
I have, however, like
most people with the financial and physical ability to do so, made a far
greater effort toward indulging my whims, interests and urges over the years. I’ve
been lucky enough to achieve notable success at that.
Judge it, if you
want, as you will. It has all made for a very enjoyable, satisfying life so
far, one that I’ve happily shared with family, friends, acquaintances and even
strangers.
If someone were
to tell me that I was going to die tomorrow I’d be disappointed. There’s an
upcoming trip to Tijuana and another back to Mississippi that I’d sure hate to
miss. I still haven’t got to Tierra del Fuego or Kamchatka or the Carpathian
Alps or Ethiopia. But I wouldn’t think it was really all that premature. I have
lived the hell out of the life I’ve had and I intend to keep doing that as long
as I can.
So, happy
birthday to me. Thank you all for helping to make it so enjoyable getting to
here. I’m looking forward to more of it.
4 comments:
Hey, Eric, I don't know you personally, but there's one thing I can tell you about yourself: You're a kickass writer.
I have to admit I was astonished and miffed when you killed off Ray; he was a character I'd identified and grown comfortable with, but over the last couple of years I've grown increasingly aware of how much of a daring and creative choice you made by doing so.
I've still got the books whenever I want to reaquaint myself with his company, and I am very much looking forward to that LA book you told me about quite a few years ago when I sent you my first fan letter (email, actually--does anyone send actual letters anymore? Of course not).
So Happy Birthday and I will drink a silent toast to your continued Health, Longevity, and Productivity the next time I hoist one:-)
David Plante
Hi Eric,
I think we all wonder if our lives have touched anyone in a positive way. It's sort of like in "It's a Wonderful Life," where you think nobody notices or appreciates, but every once in a while you get some feedback that tells you you have made a difference to someone, even if you haven't cured cancer. That's what makes it all worthwhile. -- Paul
Thanks all. David - I have been slowly but surely working on the first Lei Yue novel and toying with some Ray Sharp prequels, so there might be something for you along those lines one of these days. My agent is working on selling the L.A. Trilogy, but it's slow going. In any event, thanks for the good wishes and kind words.
You too, Paul.
Have another Talisker, Eric!
Post a Comment