I am such a lucky person. Of course, I work hard so I generate my own good fortune. I have never been in a position where I could wait for someone else to do for me so at an early age I knew if I wanted something I had to make it happen. From making my own clothes to making my own family to making my own career, I had to get up and do. I’m lucky because in order to do those things I had a supportive mom, sister, and husband. After I retired, I decided to teach art to adults. I was lucky enough to sign on with the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution. The majority of my students did not create art as a career but instead were physicians, lawyers, government workers of all types, etc. My joy is tickling their right brains and turning on their creative juices that have lain dormant for many, many years. I am lucky because my students seem to like me as a teacher, a tutor, a champion, cheerleader and friend. Once in a while I receive a nice compliment and that boosts me forward to be the best art teacher I can be. Today I woke up and checked my email as usual. I noticed a name I had not seen or heard from in many years. A student from pre-pandemic times. The fact that this long-lost student had taken time out of her busy life to write to me and thank me for turning her on to art made me cry. She was successfully showing and selling her art and felt I was somehow instrumental in her newfound love. I was humbled. We all like to receive notes like that one telling us we are doing good things at least for some people in the world and in some small way. Yep, I am such a lucky person.