Is There Such A Thing As Bad Luck?

I got to thinking lately….”Is there really such a thing as bad luck? Or, are we just a victim of our circumstances, or our life’s choices? It’s a lot to take in. I have divulged before in an earlier post (Searching For My Sunshine Place), that my life has been a series of peaks and valleys. This trajectory has been so consistent throughout my life; that it is sometimes very difficult to experience joy to its maximum, even when I am actually feeling that moment of happiness. I’m always looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next proverbial shoe to drop. Knowing very well, that this feeling may be fleeting. Some of you may never understand what that feels like. Consider yourself very lucky if you fall into that category. Anxiety and melancholy are very familiar emotions to me.

To put this into some perspective; I have been seriously ill, with a potentially fatal disease, on more than one occasion. I have experienced a near disability, and I lost loved ones to tragedy at a fairly young age. Here’s the difficult and strange thing about enduring all these life-changing experiences…..”it doesn’t always mean people will understand or even be kinder to you.” In the beginning, you think that may be the case. On the contrary, some folks, start wondering….did she bring this on herself? Then, there’s the ones who just pity you, something you don’t want either. They keep you at a distance, maybe secretly thinking…”thank God, that’s not me.” Never mistake pity for caring. It’s a mistake I occasionally made when I was very young. We won’t even address the people who just want to take advantage of your vulnerability and misfortune. We discover who the truly compassionate, empathetic souls in our life are, in our times of trouble. However; don’t be surprised if any of your friendships or relationships falter during challenging times.

Several years ago, I was on a train ride with a close friend and we got to talking about life. I remember saying…”We all have a relatively short time on this earth.  Even if you make it to your ‘3 scores and 10’, or maybe beyond.” Think about it – how do you want people to remember you when you are gone? I am aware that the lifespan of human beings have generally increased since biblical times. The fact still remains; none of us know the length of our time on this earth.  When you are very young, life and time seem to be an infinite number of years. But, as time progresses and the years and decades roll by, you realize….it’s not that long. Do we want to leave here thinking; I could have been kinder to that person. I should have been less selfish. I should have been more compassionate and considerate. I recall this conversation, because writing this piece made me once again think about life and its purpose. We all have a purpose on this earth. Some of us take longer to discover what that purpose is. But, I sincerely do believe, we all have a purpose for being. It doesn’t have to be a great invention or a medical breakthrough. Nonetheless….there is a purpose. That purpose might be something seemingly small – like being there for someone in their time of need. Or simply, just being kind and non-judgmental to people you encounter in life.

The question remains.…is there such a thing as bad luck? Everyone will have their own opinion on this. I think some experiences are based on your life circumstance…IE: your family history. Sometimes, not having a close family unit can lead to some bad life decisions. There are many who are very superstitious and their personal belief system convinces them that…yes, bad luck does indeed exist. We are all human, and sometimes the question of bad luck crosses my mind. But, I choose not to dwell in that negative space. Because, once you do, anything bad that happens, you will chalk it up to some negative force. That perceived negative force now controls you. What do you do at that point? That belief system becomes your enemy and sucks the will to survive out of you. I try to be grateful, and think that yes, bad things have occurred in my life, but I have overcome most of them. I believe in God and choose to think that he is watching over me and it’s because of him and his graces, that I am still on this earth. It has nothing to do with a matter of luck.