Luck

Over the past several weeks, I've been pondering the concept of luck. I have definitely realized that luck, now, is very different for me than luck was when I was younger. As a young dame, I only considered it in relation to things such as getting Mom to buy me an extra sweet treat at the store, finding money on the ground, or getting a really good grade on a test or quiz I totally hadn't studied for (we're talking high school).

Luck for me today is so much different. Most of my luck, today, comes from issues of timing. I would say it probably played a huge part in just about every major life change I've made over the past few years. Like as I was working in the hospital as a nursing student and decided that I just couldn't go on in that field, I was taking my Lit-250 requirement and consequently had literature at the forefront in making my change of major decision. Then, just as I got settled into the idea of moving to Pittsburgh and attending Duquesne for grad school, I received an email from Heather Hicks at Villanova, informing me that I had been accepted there. Despite great nerves, I emailed a couple of random people on the off-campus housing lists, and I decided to meet Madonna and see what kind of place she had to offer. I chose to live with her without any other meetings, and I moved in August. I got a job at Borders at the same time as Sara Dudley, someone who initially provided a granola bar to me in a time of nutritional need but who has proven my rock here in Philly from that point on--and what an incredibly fun rock she is. Madonna has gotten me a great job, and I've continued to have such great timing here...largely a product of ongoing luck.

What made me think of this issue even more was viewing Match Point this week. You can check out The Midwestern Position for details on the movie experience, but with luck as the major theme behind the events in the movie, one cannot help but think of what a role it does play. And I'm finally convinced that to think that things happen as they should, like all of these events are pre-planned, is absolutely ridiculous. Life is like a name your own adventure story...you create it as you go, decision by decision.