>> DOMINIC: MY LIFE HAS TAKEN A COUPLE OF QUINTESSENTIALLY MINNESOTAN TWISTS SINCE THE LAST TIME I STOOD NEXT TO THIS MONITOR.

AT THE END OF MAY, I PULLED AN ENGORGED DEER TICK OFF MY... WELL, NEVER MIND WHERE.

A FEW WEEKS LATER, I WOKE UP FEELING LIKE MY INSIDES HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF WITH EMBALMING FLUID.

YEP.

LYME DISEASE.

AND IT IS EVERY BIT AS FUN AS PEOPLE TELL YOU IT IS.

AND THEN, JUST LAST WEEKEND, NICKY AND I WERE RETURNING FROM A FATHER/SON ROAD TRIP ACROSS IOWA AND WISCONSIN.

IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, AND BEFORE I COULD EVEN REGISTER WHAT HAPPENED, OUR WESTBOUND RENTAL CONNECTED FORCEFULLY WITH A SOUTHBOUND DEER.

ALSO, JUST EXACTLY THE GOOD TIME YOU'D THINK IT’D BE.

NOW, YOU MIGHT FILE THIS UNDER "BAD LUCK IN THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES."

BUT I CONFESS THAT MY MAIN TAKE-AWAY FROM THESE EXPERIENCES HAS BEEN ONE OF... GRATITUDE.

TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES CAN LAY YOU OUT FOR WEEKS, AND THE AFTER-EFFECTS CAN LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THAT.

BUT THANKS TO A PERSISTENT WIFE, A SYMPATHETIC URGENT CARE CLINIC, AND THE MIRACLE OF DOXYCYCLINE, THE WORST PART OF MY BOUT WITH LYME DISEASE LASTED ONLY A FEW DAYS.

AS FOR OUR ENCOUNTER WITH THE WHITETAIL?

THE RENTAL CAR COMPANY WAS SURPRISINGLY UNDERSTANDING.

MY INSURANCE COMPANY HANDLED THINGS IN TWO PHONE CALLS.

AND BECAUSE THAT BUCK DIDN'T BOLT OUT OF THE WOODS A HALF-SECOND EARLIER, I COME TO YOU TONIGHT AS A STORY RATHER THAN A STATISTIC.

IN PHILANTHROPY, WE SOMETIMES TALK ABOUT WORKING FROM AN "ASSET-BASED PERSPECTIVE" RATHER THAN A "DEFICIT-BASED" ONE.

THAT'S A FANCY WAY OF SAYING, LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

THAT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY THESE DAYS.

BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT.

MAYBE SHIFTING OUR ATTITUDE IS THE FIRST STEP TO SHIFTING OUR REALITY.