Luck is defined as success or failure brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions. Since good fortune lies beyond our control, and we psychotherapists focus on taking charge of what we can control, we don’t often address the matter.
However, in
writing this blog. I’ve discovered that the subject of luck surpasses itself to
teach us about life.
In an opening
sentence of his probing memoir, Do No Harm Stories of Life, Death,and Brain Surgery, Dr.
Henry Marsh writes, ” As I become more experienced it seems that luck becomes
more important.”
His confession
is poignant; this skilled surgeon appreciates that the element of luck
transcends his expertise and experience.
Obviously then,
luck is a factor with which we must contend. How then to frame it?
From the
incident in Nice, France when scores of people were mowed down by a terrorist’s
truck on July 14, 2016, we realize that luck can change in a split second. We
do well to appreciate the moment and be grateful for every day.
Nor does bad
luck have to demoralize us. A person who
suffered terrible luck, Sam Berns inherited the genes for progeria, a
rare disease of pre-mature aging and early death. In spite of his misfortune,
he possessed a positive attitude. In his short 17 years of life, he helped
raise awareness of the disease, and delivered a TED talk titled “My Philosophy
for a Happy Life.”
Without
conscious awareness many of us participate daily in this effort to distinguish
between what we can and cannot control. When Mr. L. was let go from his job, he
had to sort out factors related to his performance from the financial changes
in his company.
We are
relatively lucky or unlucky regarding the era into which we’re born in regard
to scientific knowledge and societal attitudes. Until recently, the genetic
component to addictions wasn’t recognized. Alcoholism and drug dependence, once
regarded as character flaws, are now viewed in the context of genetics and
treatment.
Appreciating his
luck taught Mr. M. to look at people in the street with more compassion. He
became less critical of their obesity and poor posture when he thought about his
good fortune to inherit the genes for a muscular build and to have time and
money to exercise at the gym.
Conclusion: Considering the subject of luck can
help us appreciate the moment and increase our compassion toward people who are
less fortunate.
Dear Reader,
Your comments are welcome.
jsimon145@gmail.com
Dr. Simon:
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, we receive hundreds of emails per day. For some reason, I always read yours as they make me ponder and think on life. You never disappoint. Curious, I looked up Sam Berns TED speech and teared up at the end. You came through again!