(Ah, there’s nothing quite like a classic movie quote to start off a new blog post.)
I started thinking about luck today, for various reasons. My name is a Latin word that means “lucky” – it’s a charming happenstance of my birth that I was given it, and I give due thanks to my parents for choosing it.
People have also said that I lead a charmed life – but perhaps that’s because they aren’t privy to all the hard work I put in behind the scenes. A duck paddling hard, that’s me – but in public, I’m sailing along smoothly, preening my feathers and eating the odd worm.
I do consider myself to be lucky, though, and maybe that’s a by-product of my naturally optimistic outlook. I mean, I’m not especially lucky in the “omigod I’ve just won the lottery” sense – more’s the pity - (hm, I’d have to buy a ticket though, wouldn’t I?) – it’s more that I’m lucky in the “isn’t it great that this wonderful/terrible thing befell me” kind of way.
To wit: last year at work I had this manager – we didn't get on. But you know what? Having had that manager turned out to be good ….. in the end.
For example, if I hadn’t had that manager, I wouldn’t have had to leave my old job. And if I hadn’t left my old job and moved into this new role, I probably wouldn’t have been able to take up this secondment in Kununurra, because my previous manager probably wouldn’t have been able to spare me for five weeks.
See how I did that? I can justify anything. AN-Y-THING. I tell you, it’s a talent. Just ask my friends, or My One True Love.
I often think that luck is what you make it, but that there is also a half-chance/half-choice influence in there as well. What’s that old saying? If life throws you lemons, then make lemonade? It’s the same thing.
So bring on the lemons, I’m ready to juice them!
PS, if you're wondering how on earth the photos are connected to this post, they are of a free charm square pack that arrived in the mail today - I won it a few weeks ago, because I was the first person to reply to a question in a newsletter sent out by a US fabric newsletter question. Yay! Lucky me!
4 comments:
Unfortunately I have to begin this with "I once read somewhere," as I'm not prepared to spend hours tracking down the reference. A study has shown that people who consider themselves lucky do in fact have more lucky things happen to them - because they're on the lookout for good fortune. A pessimist would think it's typical of their bad luck that they had such a 'crap' boss because that kind of thing always happens to them. They'd probably also have put up with it because they weren't willing to try their luck elsewhere. So keep considering yourself lucky!
I lied, I found it: http://www.fliptophead.com/blog/main/lucky.htm
That is a fantastic article Jennie! It perfectly (and much more articulately) describes the way I think. I really enjoyed reading it, thanks so much for the link.
Love your take on 'luck' and I agree, the happier, more optimistic you are, the more open you are for good fortune to come whistling your way. Just joined as a follower. Enjoying your posts. Good luck (not that you need it) in your winning streak!
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