Born under a bad sign...

Born under a bad sign.
I've been down since I began to crawl.
If it wasn't for bad luck,
I wouldn't have no luck at all.
[lyrics by Booker T. Jones and William Bell]

Actually, I think the sign said Maternity Ward but I'm not sure.

The more I practice, the luckier I get.
[ A quote by either Arnold Palmer or Gary Player. No one knows, it seems, which of them said it first.]

Luck is a strange and unpredictable phenomena, which may explain why we often refer to it as "Lady Luck." When we say someone is lucky, we mean he has good luck more often than bad. But luck is both good and bad. I, for instance, have a bit more bad luck than good. This is because what some might see as good luck on my part is the result of skill, effort, and talent. I also tend to exaggerate.

On the golf course, I often say I would rather have luck (meaning the good kind) than skill. This is because skill takes practice and practice is work. I'm retired, I have given up work for a life of leisure. I don't cheat at golf either. You see, in order to get away with cheating, you have to be good at it. In order to be good at cheating, you have to practice. And as I said, I am not in favor of work.

Actually, I have had a lot of good luck all my life. I survived Whooping Cough when I was less than 3 months old. I survived my treatment by my older siblings. I survived falling out of trees, bicycle accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, the Navy, and even my first wife. I managed to happen upon a good job with Ma Bell that gave me a decent living and good benefits which led to my current comfortable retirement.

I even consider the Great Kneecap Incident to be a bit lucky. I could have cracked my skull instead quite easily. Or I could have done greater damage to my knee than just busting my kneecap in half.

On the other hand, I have had some bad luck along the way but none of it has led to permanent damage or scarring. None of it has seriously impacted my life. I suppose you could chalk up a failed first marriage to bad luck but it is better described as a poor choice brought on by lust. It's not bad luck when you choose to do something when all sorts of signs indicate it is not the path to take. It's just stupidity.

Bad luck is when you make what would otherwise be a good choice and something bad happens. Like seeking shelter from a thunderstorm in an old barn and having it collapse on you. You did the right thing, it just turned out bad. Good luck is the inverse; you did the wrong thing and it turned out good.

So maybe I have had good luck because I have done a lot of wrong things in my past and I have had a good life.