Have You Been Lucky In Life?

Each moment in life, "lucky" or "unlucky", is to be savored, learned from, and appreciated. Easier said than done? Read this heartfelt story and see for yourself.

I met an exceptional American man in Athens in my younger years. He had a beautiful and gentle French girlfriend, and everyone was always complimenting him and telling him how "lucky" he was. His usual reply was something to the effect of "Lucky or unlucky is hard for me to say, as this is only one small moment in my whole life. But I will tell you this, at this moment, I am very definitely enjoying myself and feeling thankful."

Shortly after meeting him he was thrown in jail in Greece, which in those days was run by a brutal military dictator. All his friends sat around in Athens talking about how "unlucky" he was, since the police threw him in jail with no real evidence. When I visited him and told him his friends felt terrible about his bad luck he smiled warmly and said, "Lucky or unlucky is hard for me to say. But I am sure I will have a great story to tell some day! And for this I am thankful."

After several years in jail he was released, and he returned to the States. He was traveling along the coast roads of California, when he met a lovely woman in a roadside cafe, and began to flirt with her. Unbeknownst to my friend, the woman had a boyfriend who belonged to a gang, and the boyfriend soon appeared with his buddies and became furious. In order to "teach my friend a lesson" they proceeded to throw him off the side of the road, and down the rocky expanse leading to the ocean some one hundred feet below. They left him for dead.

Some hours later a rescue crew arrived and made their way down the cliff and they were amazed to find that my friend was still alive. As they slowly hoisted him back up to the roadside, numerous bystanders remarked at how amazingly lucky he was to not have been killed. If my friend had not been unconscious at that time it is likely that he would have said something to the effect of "Lucky or unlucky is hard for me to say, but I can tell you that I hurt like hell!"

In a few days time when he had regained consciousness he discovered that he was paralyzed from the waist down. I called him to see how he was doing. He said to me "What would you say Charlie? Lucky to be alive or unlucky to be paralyzed from the waist down." I had no ready answer.

Many months later we met in person again. By this time he had already customized his wheelchair to make it more "radical" and he was sporting a buffed out physique from his many hours of weight lifting. He said to me "Previously when people remarked about my life, it was very easy for me to say that I felt neither lucky or unlucky. Now I know very deeply that each moment, lucky or unlucky, is to be savored. If I label my circumstances as 'lucky' what will this mean? Will it mean that I am happy about what has happened? If I label my circumstances as 'unlucky' what will this mean? Will it mean that I am unhappy about what has happened? And what about tomorrow, and the day after that, and the year after that? Will I let 'lucky' or 'unlucky' determine how I feel about myself and how I live my life? I certainly hope not!" He smiled warmly as always, and I was thankful to be in his presence.

About The Author

Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Benefit from a new self-help Practice every two weeks, by subscribing to his complimentary newsletter "Pure heart, simple mind" at http://www.seishindo.org/newsletter.html

---

The Theft of Fire

"Igne Natura Renovatur Integra" (By fire is nature renewed whole.)... Read More

Personal Philosophy is Like The Set of The Sail

We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair... Read More

A Plausible Defense

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 5,... Read More

Patience - The Antidote for Stress

Why is it so difficult to hold steadfast to a... Read More

Flight Delay

Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 6,... Read More

Reach Your Dreams

About fifteen years ago I was rummaging through some old... Read More

Change

Those of you, who can fathom yourselves welcoming and enjoying... Read More

The Red Ribbon

Everyone wants a blue ribbon. Blue. First place. The best.... Read More

Anamchara - Making Sense of Life

Many successful persons advise you start your day with a... Read More

Pride Goeth

Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 25,... Read More

Do You Feel Headed For Shipwreck?

The ocean liner Achille Lauro sailed perpetually under a dark... Read More

Forcing Inspiration

Most people, when they have to complete a creative endeavour,... Read More

The Seasons of Life, Part 2 of 5

Last week we started a five part series on The... Read More

Who Is Wallace Wattles and Why Is He One of My Mentors and Heroes?

Who is Wallace Wattles? Wallace D. Wattles died over 90... Read More

Courage That Changes Your Life

"The scars you acquire while exercising courage will never make... Read More

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Raise Your Frequency with These Divine Gifts

The volatile essences of aromatic plants contain potent, complex, natural... Read More

Keep on Keeping on!

Whenever we are working on our dreams we are going... Read More

When Failure is a Gift

I wanted, for many many years, to be a mystery... Read More

Pay It Forward

My friend Hugh Jeffries died. He was a wealthy man.... Read More

The Inspiration Factor

The first thing that an aspiring leader must realize is... Read More

Four Words that Make Life Worthwhile

Over the years as I've sought out ideas, principles and... Read More

Resistance to Change

All of us are resistant to change, whether it's in... Read More

Body Calling: Eye Sight Cured Naturally

Lorenzo C. an inspiring young teenager who fell to the... Read More

Where Do You Go For Your Intellectual Feast?

(excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life)Pity the man who has... Read More

Problem Solving: The Easy Way To Solve Problems In Life

Life is full of problems.The more you solve them, the... Read More

Turning Your Life Over To God and Trusting Him To Lead You Is Like . . . . .

. . . . . riding a roller coaster for... Read More

Embracing Your Wildness

As small children, we were all wild. Not unlike the... Read More

Such Love Transforms

Everything was arranged: once the funeral was over, all were... Read More

Letting Go and Letting Be

In Corrogue it is frosty.The earth is hard and unyielding.... Read More

And How Do We Feel This Morning?

Without question, going to the hospital is teamwork from the... Read More

Songs of Life

I imagine when we die we find out how in-tune... Read More

Self Acceptance ? Lessons From My Hair Affair

For our diet and, indeed, in every aspect of our... Read More

Oldies

Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 5,... Read More