Good Luck, Bad Luck and Just Luck
I have good luck. I found a platinum diamond ring at the gas station. We won the grand prize last year at the raffle at my son’s school. I’ve won over $1,000 in personal training and two free months of membership in drawings at my gym. (And if you know me and are spending time thinking about how it certainly doesn’t look like I’ve had all this training, keep your opinions to yourself.) I’ve found enough money two different times for sushi and a few mochas with extra shots. I’ve been lucky with having great friends and family. AND, I hit the jackpot with my wife and kid.
I also have bad luck. I currently have six staples and a concussion from dropping KD’s basketball hoop on my head when I was trying to raise it a bit but it slipped. I’ve just recovered from bruised/cracked/broken ribs from falling off my bike for the third time. I’ve had tons of other broken bones and ruptured ligaments, including a “career-ending injury” to my patellar tendon. I strongly suggest avoiding this injury. And then there’s the little issue of coma/epilepsy from getting in a car with a friend who was drunk.
As a result, I now say I have LUCK. Sometimes I have good things happen to me. Sometimes I have bad things happen to me. It all cancels out. It’s neutral. Just luck.
So what do I do with LUCK? If you read my last blog, you know there are times I want to Uber to the station and take the midnight train somewhere, anywhere and not leave a note. But that’s not an option I’m going to take.
Instead, do I hang here and spend my life focusing on good luck and hope I get on a winning streak? OR do I focus on bad luck and hope I can duck and cover before everything goes to hell? Although this seemingly nonstop rain is bringing gigantic challenges to my mood, I’m choosing to focus on good luck and hope I get on a winning streak, knowing that there will be times that bad stuff happens, and I’ll spend some time in last place.
And I’m also going to share a secret with myself: the reality is that this winning streak is due much more to working hard in spring training than being a victim and depending on making half-court shots at the buzzer or pretending I’m Tom Brady making a miraculous comeback. I can’t leave my happiness to luck…
For now, this spouse, parent and therapist is going to stay off his bike and keep his eyes on the ground, hoping to find more cool stuff and get on a winning streak.
Until next time…