There is a white squirrel that plays in our back yard from time to time. We have scads of black squirrels and a sprinkling of grey squirrels, but this is the first white squirrel we’ve seen.
We like to watch him whenever he shows himself. The last time I saw him, I called for my wife to look out her office window. “That means good fortune is headed our way,” she said when she spotted him.
“I could sure use some good fortune about now,” I replied. I think that’s a common sentiment these days, but I immediately regretted saying it. As a parent who chides his children for whining, I felt like a hypocrite.
I had fallen into the trap of thinking of good fortune in terms of big, milestone events: winning a lottery, getting a big promotion, or landing a book contract from a major publisher.
True, none of those things have happened, and they aren’t on the horizon. It would be great if they did happen but expecting them will lead me into a lot of self-defeating whining.
Think he’ll let me rub his tummy for luck?
I’m not a person who finds himself in the right place at the right time. In that sense, I’m not lucky.
But in a more important sense, I am lucky. I’m not a person who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sometimes the most fortunate events are the ones that miss us – the things that don’t happen.
I have the people and things I need to be happy. Maybe fate has not answered my dreams, but it has also not burdened me with unsurmountable nightmares.
The last two years have been a time of suffering around the world. I have suffered less than most. I did not lose my job. I did not lose any family members. My children have had to adjust to a new way of being children, but they have adjusted more easily than many others.
A lot of us could use some good fortune about now. Many of us already have it, often in the things we take for granted because they are not huge, lifechanging events.
A little, white squirrel made me consider all my subtle, good fortunes. How odd that he came to visit during our Thanksgiving Holiday.
Snoozing on the Sofa 
Wonderful post! I must day not only have I never seen a white aquire before, but I didn’t even know they existed! Just grey, “edgy” ones here in Chicago! Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings of good fortune to you and your family! Cher
Thanks you! White squirrels are apparently pretty rare. Even when one is born, it faces environmental disadvantages, so it’s amazing to see one. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
That is fascinating! Oh yes, it must be quite exciting! Why thank you so much! Right back at you and yours! Cher
Thank you!
White squirrels are very rare. The hawks seem to thin out the black ones around my area when they’ve appeared (Northern IL, USA).
I like that you reminded ME to be thankful for avoiding landmark tragedy, if there weren’t milestone victories. Happy Thanksgiving!
The black squirrels are most abundant here. Maybe our hawks have different tastes than yours. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for sharing about your lucky white squirrel. I read this out loud to my teenager so she could hear the message, too. Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving. Wishing you a lucky white squirrel of your own!
Nice sentiment. Glad you realized what you have and the good things that you don.’t. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you. And the same to you!
Nicely done, Scott!
Thanks, Tom!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family, Scott. We will appreciate our daily priceless fortunes, yes, my friend. The “kids” came over for a Thanksgiving eve dinner last night and my dear wife Karen and I were surely appreciating the happy moments, circa 2021.
And, hey, wow, thank you for showing me my first white squirrel. How cool that is!
Glad you are having the opportunity to appreciate the company of you loved ones, Mark. Best wishes to you all!
Wow, I had never heard of a white squirrel. Quite an anomaly this little guy is; a reminder perhaps that although we are living in very peculiar times, we prevail nonetheless. Wishing you & your family a lovely Thanksgiving Scott. So much to be grateful for.💕
It’s my first white squirrel as well. He shows up every few days. Best wishes, Lynn!
I have been doing a goodly amount of whining myself lately, because, you know, go with your strengths. However, I remind myself that I have a lot to be thankful for. I will attempt my own attitude adjustment and maybe write a blog post about it. Thanks for sharing your white squirrel, but I would not attempt the tummy rub.
Good luck with the attitude adjustment and the blog post. I’m sure you’ll do great with both!
Beautiful post, thanks for the reminder to count our blessings and to be content (at least that’s what I got out of it 🙂).
That’s the long and the short of it. Thanks for visiting!