When someone says, "We live our lives by trial and error." I am tempted to reply, "There are no errors, only unrealized expectations." While I may be parsing the meaning it is my view. What happens is what is supposed to happen at a given moment in a particular situation. At issue is how to deal with it. My approach is to take what comes and deal with it as best I can.

In retrospect, what some see as errors in my life were unexpected outcomes. For example: I failed at love the first time. (I was a jerk.); I failed at college on my first try (I was not committed.); There are so many more "failures" during this eighty-three year journey, none of which can be accurately classified as such.

One reason I see life this way is because my parents, especially my Mom, always put a positive spin on life. Another is a bit Rosy Perez used in her speeches, a view she received from her spouse, Ray, "Don't sweat the small stuff... You're born... BIG STUFF... You die... BIG STUFF... Everything else... small stuff."

There are others, but my primary source is my late wife of sixty-three years who accepted everything that came her way, even the Parkinson's she suffered progressively in her final years, always looking forward, my beacon of acceptance.

As a human singularity the only test I apply to my actions and behavior is whether I'm hurtful.