I recently found myself standing outside Hedigans public house. I was debating with myself whether to enter or not. You see it was a class reunion of 40 plus years go. I have always looked on these occasions as a get together of lawyers, barristers, accountants and the suited gentry all swigging wine and congratulating themselves on how well they have done.

 I don’t know about you but I tend at times to see other “successful” people as being better off. This of course is nonsense. When I take the time to see what it is I have rather than what I believe other people possess I realise very quickly how lucky and yes successful I really am.

 Let me return to Hedigans I entered sat at the bar ordered a pint, still reluctant to dip my toe into the unknown. I browsed through a magazine glancing around to see if I recognised faces from the past, hoping maybe that I had made a mistake and gotten the date wrong. But there was no escape, there in the snug were gathered a group of grey haired ( those that had hair) men enjoying a chat. I picked up my pint and ventured in. It was like the 40 year gap never existed, ok there was an accountant a professor a few senior civil servants but at the end of the day they were school pals. We laughed, recalled good times and bad spoke of those who had passed away and drank a few pints. We left promising to do it all again next year.

As I rambled home to my beautiful wife and my 8 year old son ( yes they were surprised ) knowing that they were sleeping peacefully and contentedly I realised that what I have and who I am are what is important. I think maybe that we spend too much time wondering what other people are doing rather than being thankful for what we possess. 

Jpoet7