Luck or Perseverance

"Luck (n): the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities"

"Perseverance (n): steady, persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement."
(definitions courtesy of dictionary.com)

As a young woman, I often attested any great successes or failures I had to the force known as "luck." This may have something to do with my Irish heritage and the misleading phrase "luck of Irish." However, as I matured I realized: the assumption that all the things I have accomplished in my life are due to mere shifts of wind and chance is actually quite insulting.

Anything that has ever gotten me anywhere has been due to sheer willpower and perseverance. This is not to say that I have not found myself in circumstances that were due to pure chance (see: my 7th birthday when I won a raffle at McDonalds for a brand new bicycle. Oh how those pink handlebars gleamed with victory). However, I pride myself on the fact that I have a general stick-to-itiveness. The "if at first you don't succeed, try try again" philosophy.

Examining the successes in my life lends further creedance to perseverance. When I wanted to be a gymnast, I devised an at-home regiment of conditioning and stretching that provided me with the opportunity to move up several levels in a single year. When stage fright prevented me from pursuing acting, I took acting classes and auditioned for short films (and...surprise surprise...I got the roles!). When grad school beckoned, I spent hours devising my portfolio, reviewing it with mentors past and present.

So I suggest a toast to the underdog, perseverance--often overlooked in our instant culture.

As for my failures, we'll chalk all of those up to bad luck.

Leni.