Luck All Around

Throughout my life, I've had the great fortune of meeting and getting to know some truly wonderful people. Friends who are supportive, creative, and fun; friends whom I'm proud to call lifelong.

When I moved to California in 2001, my friend put me up for two months in his living room without so much as a peep to rush me out. And when I did move out, I found, by luck, two roommates who are so very dear to me today -- never had to experience that "roommate from hell" that you hear horror stories about. I made great friends where I previously had none, and established a life that one might call pleasant.

Moving here was loads harder than scuttling around North America, but I've somehow found myself being "protected" as I go along: I've had a cousin and aunt who have been kind enough to shelter me for weeks on end while I get my stuff together, offering their help and advice whenever I ask.

During a recent apartment hunting trip, I dropped by a lunchbox store and ordered. I got to talking with the lady owner, and after 20 minutes, she walked me down the street and showed me where to look, what places were good to eat at, and gave me her cellphone number in case I needed any help. She even offered to help me find students if I ever wanted to tutor English in my spare time. She was like a new-found aunt or something!

While checking out another apartment, the lady who showed it to us (her daughter owns the place but wasn't home) kept beaming at us, so courteous and friendly. She recommended we take a look around more and see what we liked, and told us to take our time. (Okay, I guess it was because she had three daughters, so maybe I was like the son she never had.)

And again, I had a chop* made last night. After it was done, I stuck around and chatted with her for another half an hour, where she gave me advice on how to save money quickly here, the cheapest places to eat (and where not to go), and said if I needed anything to just drop by the store anytime.

I sometimes wondered if there was some kind of general aura about us and our lives that make us destined to find such people wherever we go. I don't feel gifted (as in that I'm special or anything), but I can't help but feel like something protects me and makes my life less cruel than it could otherwise be. Someone out there likes me.

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* Chinese stamp used as an official signature, or in conjunction with a hand signature