By Pooja Marwah
Life is what you make of it. It is a wave of emotions that ride up and down. Some have all the luck or so it seems but the bare reality is that Luck favours everyone; albeit in phases. If I were to genderise it, I would think of it as a ‘her’. Of course, there was a reason why even in poems women were made of sugar, spice and all that is nice! And moreover, I am biased too.
All through the past year and a half, each of us have experienced a myriad range of emotions. We found a way to laugh amidst the tears. We searched for hope in a sea of despair and hopelessness. We managed to subdue the pangs of guilt and evolve as much as we thought we needed to. We ventured onto pathways we never thought existed and we slowly learnt that it was deep inside us that luck dwelled.
The best example of luck is portrayed in a simple board game called Life. Ironic as it may appear, it introduces you to all the facets of life, including bankruptcy and retirement. Playing the game brought out strange reactions from the kids and us. And pertinent questions too. All the integral parts of life had a compulsory stop – marriage, career choice, house!
“But I don’t want to stop, I have a ten and I would rather go on the vacation than stop and get married.”
“Should I be a lawyer or a vet? My heart says vet but lawyer draws more salary. So… passion or stability?”
There was anxiety, agitation for some and perfect cards for the others. Of course, there was a stream of lamenting that followed, as the game drew to a close and it all boiled down to – ‘My luck is horrible!’
It wasn’t an easy explanation to give but one that seemed vital at this juncture. Luck matters for there are times when you work hard and do everything right, and still don’t make it. But winning isn’t everything, or is it? You played the game with people that are your world. You followed the path that was carved out for everyone alike but just didn’t get the numbers to win. And that’s ok. You play the game again a few days later and not only do you win but end up getting the jackpot as well! Of course there is no lamenting at this point for the past disappointment is long forgotten. And this is one of the most important lessons that life teaches too. For if you step back and look at the broader picture, it taught you instantly that all you needed to do was ride the wave!
You have to have the faith that luck will favour you, for in her own sweet way, she too needs to be wooed. You have to want her bad enough and be persistent in your pursuit of her. She is a woman after all and the best way to a woman’s heart is through her mind.
No matter which board games we picked up, each of them tested our patience or our pride. We lost some and gained some. We fought hard and sometimes even gave up, but what we learnt was that no matter what the disappointment was, it didn’t last forever.
It is in moments like this that I truly realised that Luck isn’t for the faint at heart but for the ones that go after it, like a horse with blinkers. Like everything else in life you want, you work hard and do your thing. Then sit back and let luck ride the wave!
