A Joyous Perspective on Luck: The luck of the draw, or do we draw the luck?

Tonight at the Friday Night Thought Tale Hour with the Henderson's, we are on the other side of an Irish and also very American traditional holiday - St. Patrick's Day. There're lots of green and clover leafs, which appeals to us here on Clover Leaf Court. As I watched the parades and chuckled at the overweight men dressed as Leprechauns, I began to muse about the concept of luck. This day does seem to evoke an actual recognition and celebration of luck. It was supposedly luck that drove out snakes and restored greatness to a country. (story of the real Patrick) What is it about luck that appeals to us humans? Should not something so elusive be ignored rather than sought and celebrated? But the main question I have is this:

Does stuff happen to us, or do we happen to stuff?

I recall a conversation with a family member a few years back. We were discussing how everything just seemed to be falling into place with her and her family's life. She said, "Sometimes, I think we are just lucky. But then I look at the effort we put into planning and being ready to take hold of an opportunity, and I see it differently." I had to agree, especially after seeing her Day Planner! They made themselves available to opportunity, and the opportunities happened.

When we put one lot in the pot, and we do not get

chosen, we call it unlucky. But the truth is, we just didn't provide fortune enough chances to find us. Luck is usually precipitated by doing something which includes taking a chance - and we can call it a gamble. But in the quiet recesses of our mind, we see ourselves achieving the hoped for outcome. We believe we can find success through our efforts, or we would never try in the first place. So in essence, we aren't gambling. Which makes it even tougher when we don't achieve our hopes, so we soothe ourselves by blaming luck for passing us by.

What is it about the 'luck of the draw' that 

makes us just feel better?

The small and insignificant losses in life aside, I find it interesting that luck is attributed to times that we come out of something disastrous unscathed. We 'feel' lucky if we escape harm. The term 'lucky' can be interchanged with 'blessed' in many cases. Rather than acknowledge relief or point to a fact, it seems to make people feel better to assign luck or blessings to health and welfare. I wonder if it's just a way to avoid finding a reason terrible things sometimes happen to us and not to another? 

Attributing luck or blessing also helps to ease our guilt if we have fortune come to us without much effort - when others seem to work so hard for it. But, at the end of the day, only you can know the desires of your own heart, and why you choose to work so hard to go toward them. That's not luck or blessing - it's determined intention.

(P.S., my personal faith tells me we are all 'blessed', although we may not always be able to see the meaning and purpose of the blessing right away, even in pain or tragedy.)

"Your feet will take you to where your heart is." ~ Irish Proverb

I'm not Irish, not even a little that I know of. But even if I were, I would not put lots of stock into being lucky. I cannot always account for incredible things that occur in the lives of others, but I am content not to have a reason. I am interested to learn of the steps and decisions that helped it come to pass. 

It seems that luck never comes to those who live their lives looking for it. It's a far better investment of time and effort to quietly consider what you believe will bring you the joy and contentment you seek. 

If it sounds like it will take luck to achieve it, then you

might want to make some alterations to where you have set your heart. Counting on luck too much just might be the thing that is preventing you from letting your feet take you there.

So tonight, we are celebrating St. Paddy's Day on the day after with a green concoction I call, "I make my luck, thank you". It's my version of an Irish Car Bomb, backwards with vodka. Yes, I have a tendency to do things my way, and gratefully it often seems to turn out alright. Here's to you finding your way to life's many joys. CHEERS, FRIENDS!

Joy's 'I make my luck, thank you' Cocktail**

1 oz of Trojka Green Spirit, cold
2 oz of Outer Space Vodka, cold
2 oz of Guinness Stout
Ice

Pour the Trojka and Vodka into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake hard and strain into a martini glass. Pour the Guinness into a frosted shot glass as a side car. Enjoy.

**Always drink responsibly. Never drive after consuming alcohol.