Luck

I know that luck favors the prepared, but sometimes preparation isn't enough.

Last Saturday I was baking in 104-degree desert heat in the sun, walking at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Visor, sun block and packed Camelback were not doing it, I had left Cottonwood campground and I had a couple of hours to get to Phantom Ranch. I hadn't seen a soul for a half an hour when I saw a Sahara hat atop a rock. That's freakin' luck.

Tuesday morning the group leader woke up in a bad mood because my snoring had kept him awake for several nights in our crowded shared-room sleeping arrangement. However, at our destination motel in a crowded Zion vacation/tourist destination, a vacant room existed. That's pure luck.

Who knows how many bad occurrences were averted. There were no accidents or injuries other than sore feet. That's luck too.

I've been lucky many a time. A dozen years ago we had a recession in town and layoffs but I was able to find jobs for me and my group through help from connections as well as a good work ethic reputation. After my divorce, my kids came to live with me and I had the discipline and privilege to raise them. A good young friend of mine became a priest, so we maintain a unique relationship. I've survived two traffic wrecks, storms at sea in small craft, climbing and caving accidents, a point-blank shooting, divorce, teenagers, many different kind of heartbreak and countless other physical and emotional events. This was due to preparation, work, people's kindness and asking for God's mercy... luck.

I'm a lucky man: I prepare and I pray to get lucky. And I do.

- text © 2008 by Willy

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P.S., Yes, OK... North Kaibab down to lodge in 7, next day from lodge up thru Bright Angel in 6 1/4 hrs. First down, and first out, of a dozen or so.