I am lucky.
Luck is not measured by that which others believe we should be thankful for, but rather the things that make us feel fulfilled. The things in our life which bring contentment. Sometimes they can be that which you would expect someone to feel fortunate for having – a roof over their head, food in their stomach, money in the bank. Sometimes it’s smaller things, such as getting a new video game you’ve been waiting weeks for, or coming home to find someone has cooked you your favourite meal for dinner.
I don’t think of luck as in singular moments – “I got lucky on the pokies!”, but rather a series of events and states of existence that lead you to feel life is not always a difficult, up-hill climb.
Some things that I feel lucky for:
* Living in a place where we can paint the walls if we want to, or put in picture hooks, or rip out the spiky plants in the garden, because we own it!
* Being in love with someone who is in love with me
* Tim’s family – his quiet, thoughtful father; his caring, protective mother; his vibrant, beautiful sister; his funny, skilful brother; their gorgeous, aloof, fluffy cat.
* Having a positive outcome from my spinal surgery
* Having an awesome, weird & wonderful family
* Owning a Napoleon cat, and before him, my wonderful Dinnacat. RIP, Dinna.
* Having a place to go home to in Yamba, our family home, with my amazing mother now living there and enjoying the peace and tranquillity
* Having tickets to San Francisco next May (woohoo!)
* Being able to watch and be part of the process of my beautiful older sister getting married to the love of her life
* Having a seriously cool brother-in-law
* Seeing Rosie making her way in the world (I’m very proud!)
* Having dreams of study, and people who believe in me
* Having Chris as a friend, someone who has known me since I was about 5 years old, and therefore understands a lot about the way I think and feel! I’m so happy for Chris that he has found a Doon, and that they are happy 
I have so many other things I could write, but for now I will bask in the warm glow cast by all these thoughts.
Life wasn’t always this good, but it’s worth the pain in the end.