I couldn't even imagine saying this 10 years ago, but having children is now the best thing that never happened to me.

not marrying my first girlfriend- ha ha

Being woken up whilst fast asleep in bed by a police man who said he had followed someone in to my house through an open window. There was a guy under my bed with a knife. So I guess not being stabbed to death whilst asleep is the best thing to not happen to me.

Near-Drowning while Kayaking

Kayaking a series of rapids, my kayak suddenly flipped and I was swept under a "strainer," pinned underwater beneath a tree. Strainers are deadly. I took a big breath of air before going underwater. I'm not going to drown on my watch," I thought.

The powerful river was pinning me under the strainer from two directions. Underwater, I tried problem-solving in quick succession.

Then I pushed my body straight down, and kicked hard off a rock on the bottom. Holding the kayak to protect my eyes from branches, I exploded myself and the kayak sideways and away from the tree.

Sweet air! Lunged, grabbing the kayak to keep it from being swept away. Never lose your craft. Rolled into the kayak, shaken and battered.

People were desperately paddling upriver toward me. "Has anyone seen my paddle?" I called. "I've got it!" a man yelled. "I'll come to you."

Shooting downriver without a paddle, I quickly fixed the footrest. "Thank you!" Grabbed the paddle as I shot by.

"You were underwater a long time," my partner said.

In Tennessee, this hillbilly kayak rental broke major safety rules:

1. No helmets;
2. No life jackets;
3. No guide;
4. No instructions; and
5. Nobody following the group on the river to help customers in trouble.

I almost drowned. I was pretty sure I was going to be wounded in action, if I survived.

There are any number of horrible things that could happen on any given day that never do.

Not marrying the first guy who asked.

Not getting all those girls pregnant. Wait, what?

Missed a train derailmnrnt, twice in Mexico. Got off at the stop before twice

Getting dropped by a girlfriend I had the hots for before I met my wife. She was one of the faces in NA. I was infatuated. It felt good to be seen as a couple with her, because it was a step up from my ex that used me. Her sponsor told her to drop our relationship because we both needed time to get over the divorces. Hell... I had been divorced 14 months. Geeze... that one hurt. After awhile I met Susie at an AA retreat. We hit it off and 6 months later were married. 8 years now...?

Not pursuing an offer of an afternoon drive radio gig in Long Island. Colleagues took me to task for it--I even lost a friend over the decision--but I don't regret it one whit. I didn't want the job badly enough, and if I'd gotten it I'm quite certain I would have been anxious and miserable.

The best thing that never happened to me is that I never became an intravenous drug user.

Meeting and subsequently marrying my wife.

Managing to survive to the age I am, I guess. I hope I say the same thing in 20 years.

I Died!⚰

Going to school.

I would have to say having my son because i would probably still be at a dead end job and still miserable. it's not been easy, but i do love how having him has changed my out look on life.

All of the things - worst case scenarios- that didn't happen. Despite my anxiety and ruminations that they would.

My daughter

We were supposed to do a show with Waylon Jennings, one of my musical heroes, at Red Rocks Amphitheater outside of Denver, the best outdoor venue in this country, and he had to cancel the show. It still bums me out.

The best thing that ever happened to me was the birth of my son. What else is there to say? It's a shame his mother wasn't such a great decision....

I could had been murdered in the mid 80's... but for some reason that may be my "crowning moment" I talked my way out of it and an hour later another life was taken by the same thugs. No longer afraid of dying and that makes me dangerous if ever confronted in a similar situation because the postman never rings twice. And I am fully aware of that so I may want to dance next time!

Being let in with the elephants at London zoo