A poster I recently read at social
media got me thinking. It said: “The grass is always greener where you water
it.” I thought of what some people speak of as miracles, and some call luck;
both groups refer to something desired but kind of unexpected. In both
instances, one feels a bit surprised. What is often ignored is the ‘background’
to the actual lucky event or miracle.
Of course miracles sometimes do hit
us seemingly out of the blue – that’s why we call them miracles. If we believe
or have some faith, then we tend to notice these small or big miracles. If we
don’t or even are pessimistic, it is all too easy to overlook them when they do
happen. But there is an element of what in modern books we read as: “Believe it
and you will see it”, or “Just act as if”.
Many people consider themselves to
be either lucky or unlucky. But, these words, attributed to Roman philosopher
Seneca are worth a second thought: “Luck is what happens when preparedness
meets opportunity.” Good luck like good faith works much in the same way as bad
luck or lack of faith.
During a terrible flood a pious man
trapped on a rooftop prayed fervently and expressed strong conviction that God
himself would rescue him. He refused offers of help, telling a neighbour, then
a boatman and finally a helicopter rescue team that a bigger power – God himself
– had promised to save him. In the end the waters rose above him and he
drowned. Meeting God in the afterlife he expressed his deep disappointment that
despite his unshakable faith, God seemed to have let him down, and God tenderly
reminded him that he had sent not one but three of his representatives to
rescue the poor, foolish man.
So called lucky people generate
their own good fortune or miracles mainly by opportunities. They listen to
their intuition as well as logically analyse things when making decisions. They
create self-fulfilling prophesies through fostering positive expectations. They
don’t allow disappointment or slowness in getting results to make them give up –
and they generously become conduits of miracles that benefit others.
Choosing to live with wise faith in
things not seen, not proven, and not guaranteed – we replace the limited and
predictable and tap into the unlimited power of the possible.
