I’ve got a bunch of deep-seeded beliefs (and non-beliefs!) and among th0se, I’m trying to figure out where I stand on luck. To believe in good luck, you have to believe in bad luck. And some stuff that gets called luck is acutally a positive result of hard work and some stuff that’s called bad luck is the progression of bad choices.
But sometimes good and bad stuff happens that just has no explanation. For instance, was I lucky to be born in an affluent community to an extremely loving family? Or is that good fortune, and if so, what’s the difference? Am I lucky to have such thin hair that I shave my legs once a week in the summer? Is the trade off for that the fact that I weigh 10-15 pounds more than I’d like unless I try really, really hard? Or are those just characteristics of me, some of which I like, and some of which I don’t?
Lately I’ve been thinking about how lucky I am to know the people that I do. I have high school friends, college friends, kickballers, swimmers, new work friends, blog friends and an awesome family. But then I get sad sometimes, because nowhere in that full list is “boyfriend” or “best friend”. But then I feel bad for being sad, because I think I’m lucky to have all other people for my companionship needs. Then I feel bad again because I rack my brain and can’t think of what I did to deserve them. I don’t say that to be self-deprecating, I say it because I wish I could pinpoint what I did to deserve my friends and direct that towards finding a soul mate or a soul career.
Is that a thing? A soul career? I think I’m going to make it a thing. It’s good luck to come up with new names for things.
Posted by Erikka on August 17, 2009 at 11:00 am
I like that idea – a soul career. You may not have one yet, that doesn’t mean you never will. or, sometimes I debate between maybe if some people just aren’t…destined to have soul careers. Some people will always feel ‘meh’about their jobs, but feel like the rest of their lives are full, rich and time well spent.
And this is not a fact, but as to why you have the friends you do – I’m guessing part of who you are attracts those people. Also, the kind of friend YOU are to THEM. It’s not luck at all in the friendship realm.
Posted by cadiz12 on August 17, 2009 at 11:57 am
a former coworker once told me that she just puts in 40 hours there so she can live her “real, fun life” outside of work (doing yoga, dance, spending time w/ her kids). i’m sure she’s not the only one who believes that.
and as someone who gets a five o’clock shadow on her shins, i’m jealous of your once-a-week need to shave!
Posted by courtney on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Soul career! I like that.
I guess I do believe in luck, in the sense that I feel lucky to have been born into the family and place I was, and not, say, Afghanistan. But I also believe you make your own luck in certain things too. But if you make it yourself, I suppose it’s not luck. Now I’m confusing myself.
Posted by Hope on August 17, 2009 at 1:04 pm
I agree with Erikka- as far as friends go- I think it’s not so much luck as…you’re a good friend therefore you HAVE good friends. Because you look for the kind of friend that you are to others.
Posted by Kate on August 17, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I think a soul career is a thing … maybe more of a thing than a soul mate, even.
I can’t believe I’m going to admit this, but my feelings about luck have a lot in common with Oprah’s feelings. Basically, I don’t so much believe in luck as I do in preparation and opportunity. If you work on yourself, if you prepare for good things to come your way, you’re ready to seize the opportunities that cross your path.
Posted by Allie on August 21, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Soul career – I like it!
I don’t think I believe in luck. I don’t think I believe there’s much rhyme or reason to everything.
But I do think you have wonderful people in your life because you’re a wonderful person.