All of my life, I have “felt” certain moments go by.

Some of them, I feel, are the turning of a page, as though my life were a book and something is being continued on.

Some of the moments are like a new chapter. Sometimes this feels like the end of a chapter, with a sadness, or a relief, that this part of the story has finally ended.

Some of the moments are unique and special. You suddenly notice them, after you are already in the middle of them, and the world seems to come alive, in full Technicolor™ all around you.

And then there are the ones that seem to happen the most often.

I call them The Gut Punch.

They are insidious.  Waiting until just that right moment when you are feeling relaxed. Perhaps even comfortable with yourself. When you are around people and, for once, not feeling self-conscious. When you don’t have a care in the world, and everything is good. That’s when the universe will Gut Punch you.

It will always be an ironic thing.

If you are speaking in front of an AA group, you’ll discover the donuts you bought are rum balls.

If you are showing off your new, non-slip shoes, your feet will stick to the floor and you’ll fall and break something.

If you are telling the world you are in love with someone, that someone will walk in the door, drunk and high, with three hookers on their arms.

The Gut Punch.

All I can tell you, is that when you have that quiet, contended, nothing-is-wrong moment, you need to watch your ass.