What is LUCK?

From engineer to artist : LOVE

What is Luck?

“Those who have succeeded at anything and don't mention luck are kidding themselves”. Larry King

The dictionary defines luck “as success or failure apparently brought by chance (something by accident or without design) rather than through one's own actions”.

Could it be that good luck is really the manifestation of the presence of God in our life? Could it be that a belief in God's presence in our lives is actually the part in the above definition that correlates to “through one's own actions". I can choose to believe that God has a presence in my life and every so often reminds me of that in not so subtle ways or I can choose to not believe in God's presence and take what happens as mere chance.

Take for example when I was working in live radio broadcasting as an engineer several decades ago. I was at the drinking fountain late one night when an older gentleman stopped to chat with me. He was from the film department. Once I mentioned I worked in Radio he offered up his opinion. Television is where it's at. IT's the future. His film department was being closed down due to advances in technology. The idea of a move was planted in my mind in that conversation. Was that part of God's plan for me?

A short time after, a vacation relief request went out internally to find people who would want to cover those TV broadcast engineering employees on vacation. The job would last just six months. Though I had no direct experience as a TV engineer I knew my radio background could translate into audio engineering in TV. I did come equipped with a First Class FCC Broadcast License credential. Back in those days they were willing to train on their dime. I went for it. Apparently so did a lot of other people too. Many of us were hired to be vacation relief and knew this was a 6 month gig at best. I said Goodbye Radio. Hello Television.

I met the Boss, a woman, and she was one tough bit*h. At least that's how she came across to me. I was scared of her.

I worked hard to be a good engineer. As the time drew nearer to the six months coming to an end, I thought to myself, I like Television. I did not want to go back to Radio. The coffee was better in TV than in Radio but seriously I wanted to stay. It was around this time that it occurred to me that I would approach the Boss and tell her I did not want to go back to Radio. I took the attitude that she's not a mind reader and I should let her know what I wanted. I wondered if anyone else thought to march into her office and declare what I did. I had the sense that no one did. Why state the obvious some might think. Who would want to go back to Radio after being in Television?

It was also around this time that my father owned a women's clothing store in the downtown area of our big city. He loved to chat it up with his customers. One day a woman walked in to his store. She was looking for a new wardrobe at discount prices. He carried designer brands at a lower price than department stores. He asked her where she worked. She answered. My daughter works there, he replies. You don't say, what's her name? He tells her. She replies, I know who she is, she works in my department. I am her boss. As a matter of fact, she just came to see me the other day. So I ask, what are the chances that of all the clothing stores in this huge mega city, she'd walk into my Dad's store?

My father, wanting to be of help, took the opportunity to give her some extra discounts. She appreciated the savings. He thought she was very nice.

When it came time to find out who was being retained past the six months, word got out that due to budgeting, many could not be asked to stay on. There were 20 of us doing the vacation relief. Those who were not retained would go back to their old positions. I found out that only 2 of us would make the cut. I was one of them.

Luck or God's presence (from Latin: praesentia 'being at hand')  in my life?