Please bear with me for a word or two of clarification of the question before I attempt a response: I’m choosing to assume this question refers to some gift that I have not already received, so my answer will not include any of the following gifts, each of which could qualify, had I not already received it: I was born into a loving, nurturing family; I became a Christian at the age of eight; I am still married to my true love after 40 years; music has nearly always been a big part of my life; I’ve had at least five interesting careers and reached retirement; I’ve already lived 90% of the average life expectancy of an American male (after the next eight years, it’s all gravy); my health is way better than I deserve it to be, given how I’ve neglected it; my mind is more or less still functioning; I have acquired a variety of skills; and I am blessed with a number of very good friendships.
I do understand that much of what I have been given in life can be chalked up to privilege–the various combined accidents of birth date and location, family heritage, genetics, and a broad mixture of circumstances beyond my control or choice. I am aware of the advantages that privilege has provided me, and I am both grateful and humbled. I have not always understood this, but as I have grown more and more aware of it, it has increasingly been my aim to utilize the advantages of privilege for the benefit of those who were not so blessed.
So what more could someone like me ask for? To be perfectly honest, I’d like to be able to play the banjo a whole lot better.
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(Posted in response to 1/4/2024 prompt)
doug heacock: words 