Thursday June 19th, 2014 – Island Lake,
IL
I
haven’t forgotten about my daily focus on kindness, but today kindness happened
to focus on me. I can’t say I’m upset, and just when I was about to throw in
the towel that anyone else was in the game, in come three shining examples to
remind me I’m not alone. I’m giddy beyond words!
It’s no secret that I’ve been going through
some rough patches of late. Actually, they have been more than rough. It kind
of feels like I have been riding uphill on the long and winding highway of
life, and it’s a cobblestone road and I’m on a bicycle with no seat. And I’m
not wearing pants.
Although I have a heaping helping of
problems in my in box, the majority of them are a result or at least a
byproduct of a lack of money. I’ve heard it said that if money can fix your
problems you don’t have any problems. Well, I’d like to meet the halfwit that
said that. I bet he was rich.
Money is an issue for a lot of us, and many
times it’s not our fault. Many times it is as well, but I’m giving myself the
benefit of the doubt on this one. I was on track to financial freedom when I
had my morning radio job at 97.9 ‘The Loop’ in Chicago in 2004. I keep harping
on that, but it’s the truth. It took a lifetime to land that gig, and I was in
the right place at the right time for once.
The owner of the station then was Bonneville
International – which is basically the Mormon Church. They are very good people
to work for, as they treat their employees well. We were part of a long term
plan that would have kept me employed to this day, and I’d be making big bank.
Jobs like that don’t grow on trees, and when
the company unexpectedly sold out that plan was no longer in effect and we were
bounced like a third party check. I’ve spent the last ten years in recovery
mode, hoping to catch another break like that. Unfortunately, they are
extremely rare.
The sad part is, the snake that fired us has
NO clue and couldn’t care less what damage he has done to all of us that were
part of the show, but that’s the cold hard business of radio and life in
general. Precious few care about anyone else, and in retrospect it is the worst
break of my career.
Well, today got at least a little brighter
when I went to my post office box and got – count ‘em – THREE completely
unsolicited yet extremely generous donation checks from people that know I’m
struggling right now and wanted to help. I couldn’t believe it, and it made me
weep with joy.
Two of the checks came from friends of mine,
but the third – and by far the largest – was from an anonymous donor who reads
my daily diary entries and wanted to help. He included his name in an email,
but insisted he wanted it to remain anonymous so I will respectfully grant that
wish.
This really gives me hope on a lot of
levels. First, I will be able to make it through yet another bleak weak summer.
That’s always an issue in comedy, and this year is not looking bright at all. I
have a few things lined up for the next three months, but nothing earth shattering.
It’s sparse.
Second, it takes the lion’s share of the
intense pressure off of having to worry about how I am going to cover my rent so
I can focus on more important long term goals like finding a job with health insurance,
and completing the book I am working on. I can now focus on that for a while.
Thirdly, it restores faith. I have given
money to many when I had it, and I didn’t expect it back. It’s the right thing
to do sometimes, and this was one. I experienced the joy of giving, and so are those
who helped me. It’s hard to match my joy though. I TRULY appreciate this. Thank
you all!
 | |
| Money does talk, and today I am screaming at the top of my lungs in return - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! |
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