The “L” Word
Sometimes to have a little good luck is the most brilliant plan. -Sam Waterston as Ben in Crimes and Misdemeanors Today I’m joining Kim (Kooky Runner) and Zenaida for their Tuesday Topics: “This week, Tuesday Topics falls on the 12th day of September. The 12th letter of the alphabet is “L” – write anything that comes to mind that begins with the letter ‘L’.” When my husband and I were dating, we lived in New York City. One night we went to a jazz club, and outside the club we ran into the pianist who was performing. My husband said, “Good luck tonight.” Afterwards, I admonished him. He’s a HIGHLY SKILLED performer! He doesn’t need luck! My husband responded “Everyone needs luck. There could be a problem with the sound system, or it could be too hot or too cold in there. There are all sorts of things that could go wrong that aren’t his fault.” Ever since then, I’ve understood that no matter how much you prepare, no matter how much knowledge and skill you have, a little bit of luck is the magic ingredient to success. Think of a race- you could have a perfect training cycle for a marathon, and then on race day it could be 100 degrees. Or you could get a stomach virus, or trip and break your foot. OR, you could have a cool, clear day with the wind at your back, and have the race of your life. My daughter is hard at work right now preparing for all-state auditions. She’s auditioning on flute for the concert band, and also on guitar for the jazz band. She told me she feels she has a shot at the jazz band, and I had to remind her, gently, that they only take ONE guitar player from the whole state and she’ll be competing with seniors. I told her to imagine how much better she’ll be in four years- that’s the level she’s competing against right now. She said “Yes, but all I need are five good minutes. If I have five good minutes” (the length of the audition, more or less) “and everyone else has five bad minutes, I can get in.” Now, if she weren’t practicing hard for this audition, I would say this is a very bad plan. But she is practicing, and having extra lessons. So I like her attitude! Why not go for it and hope for a little- or, in this case, a lot- of luck? Do you leave room in your life for luck? Or do you not believe in luck as a factor in success? Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash