Last week I was feeling pretty lucky. First of all, I printed something off in the office and it printed, on the first try. That never happens.
Anyone who has ever had to rely on an officer printer knows, for whatever reason, these things are wonky. Whether it is user error, old equipment or an overused machine, print jobs make people go crazy.
But the other day, I clicked print once and my pages automatically printed, in order, with the right ink. It was amazing. The paper was still warm when I picked it up. I felt lucky.
But my luck that week kept getting better. Registration for fall programming at the Bulkley Valley Pool and Recreation Centre opened and there was a swimming lesson for one of my children that was going to run at the exact same time as another program in the same facility that my other child is in. That never happens. But everyone knows getting a spot in a swimming lesson is like winning the lottery.
Registration opened at 8 a.m. I made sure my account was up to date, my internet was working, my coffee was hot and my mouse was ready to click on that spot. I refreshed the page at 7:58 and watched the countdown. As soon as it opened, I clicked on it and I got a spot!
I couldn’t believe it. Before I got too excited, I made sure to pay for it and I held my breath until I got the email confirming we were in.
A week later, I am still in disbelief. Amazing. I’d like to pat myself on the back but really, I think it was luck. I’ve been in this boat before and missed out. So as much as I prepared for it, I think lady luck was also on my side.
I’m not sure how much I believe in luck, though. Or maybe how much weight I’d put into it. According to Webster’s dictionary, luck is success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions.
If you want something or need to get something done, hard work and determination usually pay off but sometimes a little sprinkling of luck helps as well. But don’t bet on it. Good luck is just something nice that happens sometimes.
For instance, banking on winning the lottery to fund your retirement is a bad idea, however, there is a large percentage of the population who are counting on it.
According to one study, one-third of Canadians hope to fund their retirement costs by winning the lottery despite the odds. A study done through the Bank of Montreal showed that 34 per cent hope to use lottery winnings to pay for retirement, including 14 per cent that will rely on it heavily.
That number is significantly higher in the United States. Saving and investing for retirement is a smart idea, maybe winning a little extra dough is nice and lucky but not guaranteed and should not be used as a solid financial plan. For Lotto 6/49, the odds of hitting a jackpot are 14 million to one.
To compare, the odds of getting hit by lightning in Canada are less than one in a million.
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@MariscaDekkema
marisca.bakker@interior-news.com
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