At Least I Have You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw5a5Bp_Pw

Born under a lucky star.

Luck of the Irish.

Luck be a lady tonight.

Lucky Charms.

Feel lucky punk?

I guess that some people are just born lucky. Joan Ginter of Texas has won four lotteries in the past seventeen years for a total of over 20 million dollars. There are many people that have multiple wins in lotteries. There are the people that win 50/50 draws, sports pools, concert tickets, trips, small lotto prizes and those that go to Vegas and win their trip. We all know people that always seem to be winners. In Latin, to always win is called “Lucror” and around here someone that always wins is called “Dickhead”.

In the series “Red Dwarf” which is set in the distant future they have discovered the luck virus which brings incredible good luck to anyone that contracts it. There is a luck potion in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince which gives him good luck when he drinks it. There is a short story by D.H. Lawrence called “The Rocking Horse Winner” in which a boy rides his rocking horse and can tell which horse will win a race. It doesn’t have a happy ending. Luck seems to be a constant theme in literature and fables.

You know that you should be happy for a friend that wins some kind of prize, but deep down, in your heart of hearts you wish that it was you. When someone plays Trivial Pursuit really well and wins, you know that you should congratulate them on a game well played, but your initial reaction is to hurtle the board across the room. Why them and why not me? Well, in Trivial Pursuit it is probably because you just aren’t as smart, but if luck is dumb and blind then you have at least as good a chance to win as the goof that did.

I am a very good loser! I have had a lot of practice over the years and for the most part I have kept my skill at almost the professional level. Unfortunately, I am not such a good winner. I guess I tend to gloat and say things like “NAH..NAH..NAH...NAH..NA! Hey, is it wrong to be happy about winning?

I need to get back to luck. I am coming to believe that there are all kinds of luck. Some is the “Where am I going to put all of this money?” kind of luck, but that is fleeting and from the stories that I have heard, it doesn’t bring true happiness. We have all heard the phrase “Lucky at love.” And who hasn’t wished for that? When you look at the person at the end of the couch and she is the same person that you have been looking at for thirty years, then my friend you are lucky at love. When your children have managed to get through childhood without any major diseases or drug addictions, then you are a lucky person. When those children have their own children and they are born healthy then granddad you are lucky indeed. When you find yourself in need of help and you have friends that willingly come to your aid, then you are very lucky. If you have been born in a first world country, and your biggest worry is how you are going to afford tires for the car, then you are lucky.

Luck comes in all sorts of disguises. Sometimes it is disguised as a divorce, or it hides behind the loss of a job, Perhaps, you will find your luck when you finally hit rock bottom. There are many people that find good fortune in the church or in helping others. You just never know where or when luck will come to meet you.

I don’t always feel lucky, and I truly wish I could win the lottery, but I have my health, and those I love have their health. I have people that love me and a dog that loves me for as long as the treats last. Come to think of it, that might be the same for the people in my life. With any luck, I think I feel a virus coming on. Hmmmm...

Well, as far as luck goes, at least I have you. I do have you, don’t I?