Definition: accompanied by or having good fortune; meeting with unforeseen success
Synonyms: Fortunate suggests being rewarded beyond one’s deserts; happy combines the implications of lucky and fortunate with stress on being blessed; providential implies the help or intervention of a higher power.
Compatible Qualities: courage, discipline, fortitude, risk taker
Saying: Luck is where opportunity and preparedness meet.
Parable: There is [an ancient Zen] Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. One day the horse escaped into the hills and when all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills, and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Then, when the farmer’s son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able- bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg they let him alone. Now was that good luck or bad luck? Who knows? Everything that seems on the surface to be an evil may be a good in disguise. And everything that seems good on the surface may really be an evil, depending on your attitude. — Father Anthony de Mello, S.J. (1931-1987) Sadhana – A Way to God {1978}
Symbols: 1) four leaf clover [The leaves individually represent love, faith, hope, and luck.]; 2) horseshoes; 3) shells (Chinese); 4) gold (East Indian) [Traditionally gold brings both prosperity and luck, and is considered sacred to the gods.]
Types of Luck: tough luck; fool’s luck; dumb luck; bad luck; good luck; blind luck; lady luck; beginner’s luck