A grateful heart on Valentine’s Day 2015

Blissful baby, 1982
Blissful baby, 1982

We are all born gifted. The gift is life itself!

The truth of these words, which I have often said to my students, has never been clearer to me than during this past year. A year ago on Valentine’s Day I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack. A few weeks later I was sent home with hospice care. Now, each time I visit my doctor and he asks me how I’m doing I reply. “Happy! I do the work that I love and live with the woman I love. What could be better?” He likes to tell me that happiness is the best therapy for my heart and that’s probably why I’m doing so well.

Recently Judith shared an article with me entitled An Appreciative Heart is Good Medicine. I guess I’m lucky to be taking such good medicine every day since I am filled with appreciation, especially for my wife, who takes such good care of me. A few weeks ago I wrote her this note that now hangs on our refrigerator.

Note to my wife,  2015
Note to my wife, 2015
The bouquet, 1988
The bouquet, 1988

I am fortunate in being born an optimist. As I look at the baby in the photo above, I feel the sense of bliss this child is experiencing in the arms of it’s mother. I feel that life is holding me in this way and I’d like to be able to share that sense of life with others. I have always wanted to bear witness to life as I see it. As I look back over the nearly seven decades of my work, I feel the warmth of heart that has always yearned to express gratitude for this life. “Oh if I could only show it!” has been my constant refrain.

Life is too short. The complaint department is permanently closed. I extend my thank-you to all my friends, and to life itself, for the many blessings I have received.

Here are a few more photographs about love for my wife and my friends on Valentine’s Day. May it be beautiful for you!

Kissing at the wall in Paris, 1987
Kissing at the wall in Paris, 1987
Kissing on the river, Paris, 1988
Kissing on the river, Paris, 1988

Men in Irish countryside, 1988
Men in Irish countryside, 1988
Two women dappled shade, 1970
Two women dappled shade, 1970