Lest We Forget Our “Luck”

Decades ago, I read Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield (1849). Barbara Kingsolver intentionally shadowed this classic and created Demon Copperhead (2022), which I read this year. The more pages I turned the more I wanted to be done with it. Not because it was poorly written, on the contrary, Kingsolver is an incredible wordsmith, so much so you read each sentence like a sculpted gift. I highly recommend this read, btw. It is just painful because it’s real—purposefully so. She wrote this book to tell the story of present-day suffering, suffering inherited at birth. It describes the grittiest reality of too many born into circumstances and events that cage the body and soul. Bad luck that predetermines a life of entrapment.

So many of us these days are swimming in privilege. Of course, we are fully aware that we are “blessed,” but we are completely eyeball deep in the advantage we carry, nearly unaware of the plight of others who have no escape. Our lives contain ordinary day-in and day-out suffering that is absolutely real, but overall is so minimal many would trade our “adversity” for their existence without hesitation. Our bad days are better than many‘s best.

A roof over our heads, warmth and a full belly, sincere and devoted companionship. Even access to healthcare when things go sideways. Friends, a text away who will help us with a jump when our car will not start, a second card to tap if the first does not work at checkout. Our power going out is due to throwing a breaker or the grid going down, not lack of payment.

I often remind my children (and myself) that we eat better than most kings in history. And when our days are peppered with disaster, it most likely is a “first world problem,“ not one that entails unclean water or being a child bride.

Our whining would sound insufferable to the majority of the population in the entirety of history. I am not trying to downplay our dukkha of birth, old age, sickness and death. But I can say with confidence, even with the distress of a cancer diagnosis this year, I knew that I had immeasurable gratitude to swim in, including the precious dharma that I had at my fingertips to guide me through my suffering and a sangha to hold me.

Let us pause on the first of the Four Thoughts, precious human birth. Then step into the reality of the second and contemplate impermanence. Let us truly not forget cause and effect as the third. And may we find peace and liberation in reflecting samsara as we step into each day hopefully with a bit less unsatisfactoriness and a hell of a lot more gratitude.

”Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor.”
— James Baldwin