Lucky.

You could always count on Phil Schiliro to come up with a solution. And it would always be the third way that worked.

And the President said ‘Phil. What’s that third way?’

And Phil - who’s normally a very optimistic person - kind of looked down and said. ‘You know Mr President unless you’re feeling really lucky I’m not sure there is a third way.’  

The president gets up and walks around the office and he starts to look out the window and I’m kind of wondering ‘What’s he doing?’

He said “Phil where are we?”

And Phil said “Sir, we are in the oval office”

And he said “And what’s my name?”

And Phil said “President Barack Obama.”

And so the President turned around with this great smile on his face and he said

‘Well Phil of course I’m feeling lucky!’ 

- Valerie Jarrett

One day we’re going to wake up and wish we could make a decision we used to make routinely. Wish we had the faculties or status or authority or information or memory to make a decision. Look with envy at anyone with more agency than us.

Less and less decisions. Either slowly or suddenly. Until death takes it all away.

It’s a privilege to make a decision. To be the person who, even imperceptibly, tweaks the course of affairs in a direction otherwise not taken. To be at the helm of our ship and read the winds of circumstance. To influence another.

Where are we?

We’re here. Now. Alive. Commander in Chief of Our life.

Ready to choose.

We’re lucky.