A Lesson In Luck
Posted on Jun 12, 2012 | 24 comments
Something lucky happened.
A few weeks ago I was setting out to walk the kids to school and I bumped into one of our neighbors.
"Still doing the big trip?"
"Yep, just a matter of time now I think."
"So what's the hold up?"
"Money. And I have to get the condo listed and hope it sells."
"You're selling it?"
"Yeah. Cut the ties. We figure it's best to have less complications and just hit the road."
"Well . . . I"ll buy it."
The kids are tugging at my shirt trying to get me to school. My neighbor is talking about all the reasons he wants to buy the condo and how we can work out a deal. An ambulance drives by. The birds are chirping.
How can this be happening?
Is this possible? Did I just sell my house?
Stuff like this doesn't just happen. You don't just walk out of your home and bump into a relative stranger who wants to buy your home and set your travel dreams into motion. Something is going on.
As I sit here, papers are being exchanged and financing is being arranged. Nothing is set in stone, but it appears we might have actually sold our house without ever placing a single ad or phone call or listing. Crazy!
One can't help but believe things are "meant to be". Since starting this little quest of ours, everything has gone according to plan. We've minimized, paid off our debt, created a successful blog, learned how to work for ourselves, and now this. What is this? Are we just the luckiest people on earth?
Luck comes with the territory in this game.
I write a blog about taking my family and kids on a never-ending journey around the world - of course I'm lucky. I'm lucky to be sitting at a laptop drinking water. You can't ever forget about luck, but luck isn't everything. A lot of us are lucky. I tend to think it's a lot more about what we do with our luck.
When I first realized our house might actually sell, I got scared.
This is it. No going back now. What if we screw this up? What will we come back to? Where's our security?
Same old story. You've all been down that road of doubt, and like me, you know that road leads nowhere. I can't waste my luck on doubt and dead-end streets.
I might very well be the luckiest guy on the planet.
I've got a great, healthy family.
I'm well-educated.
I've got resources.
I've got a passport.
I've got a house I can sell.
I've been able to lay out a plan, follow it, and see it come to fruition.
Very lucky indeed. And I'm not going to waste my luck.
Here's to the house selling (fingers crossed) and moving forward. Here's to letting our years of frugal saving propel us around the world. Here's to really enjoying my time with my wife and kids. Here's to opening our world to let new opportunities roll in. Here's to being lucky and making the most of it.
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OHMIGOD!!! THAT'S SO EXCITING!!! What are the odds of that happening? Fingers, toes, eyes and legs crossed that it all goes through!!!
Tracey - Life Changing Year recently posted..What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas. Unless Your Last Name Is Pedersen!
Crazy, right! I nearly hugged the guy, but that might have blown the sale. Too funny.
Enjoy Tahoe!
WHAT?!!!!! That is awesome!! Ours sold in no time flat too! First people who looked at it... we felt "lucky" too in the housing market in Jan. 2008. GO GO GO!!!! Where to first?!! Thailand?!! Wink.
Jenn Miller recently posted..Arriving in Thailand: A Video Project by Hannah
Luck? While it DOES often seem as if I've gotten more than my fair share, I honestly get annoyed with folks who bat the "lucky" mot around lightly. (as in... Gee, you're so "lucky" to be traveling the globe, living in Asia", etc.)
The only pure "luck" that I agree with is that I was indeed mighty lucky to: be born to a kindly mannered couple in the U.S. Midwest, as opposed to... an equally kindly mannered single mom of eight living in a thatched hut in Mozambique.
That and... yep, thank goodness I (still, at 60+) have good health (though even that is at least partially under my control).
But other than that - "luck" has precious little to do with what we do with our lives.
Yes, yes - bumping into that neighbor and (with any "luck") selling him your condo, surely might seem mighty serendipitous. But remember...
It was YOU who first told him (indeed, announced to the world) that you are planning a "big trip". It was YOU who first put the wheels of it all IN MOTION. YOU who overcame doubt and the discouragement of those who thought you were NUTS!
Had you not told him of your plans, that neighborly bump might well have ended with a "Nice day, yes?" instead of a home sale contract. And indeed, if the sale goes through, it will be YOU who signed the paper and made it HAPPEN.
In short: HUGE congratulations on taking yet another BIG step forward in MAKING your dreams a REALITY.
Just remember, that it is YOU, and you alone, that is taking the risk, and making it happen.
Dyanne@TravelnLass recently posted..Newbie EFL Teaching: A Rollercoaster of Highs 'n Lows
I agree! Great points!
That's pretty much what I'm trying to say here. Lucky to have opportunities, but opportunities are nothing if you don't go out and make use of them.
Thanks!
You lucky bastard!
Now you've set the wheels in motion a little earlier than planned I'm guessing? That's good, right? I'm also guessing the evening with your wife discussing your recent good fortune probably included some long, hard stares.
Regardless, I'm entirely jealous.
How are you going to manage to keep the blog interesting once the trip has actually started? Anticipation is a very cool thing and keeps hoards of us tuning in to every one of your posts, but I find that once people get out on the road it changes. Sorta like Friends - it was never the same once Chandler and Monica went public with their relationship.
I am a lucky bastard! No sense in dancing around that!
Actually, we are still sticking around for a bit. I know that sounds nuts, but there are so many things with work and family that need tying up. No big deal. Knowing we can go is the key. It's happening.
As for the blog. No worries. It will evolve. It will actually be much easier once we are gone!
Thanks Chris??
Where are you at in planning? Still going??
That is awesome! And I agree with Dyanne. Don't call it luck. You made this happen!
Paige recently posted..The well-lived childhood
Short time reader, first time poster
Wow! Good luck. Don't be scared! Just go for it!
Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhh!! How sweet! Every dog deserves a good old bone every now and then. That is awesome! You are swimming with the current and hit a nice sandbar! Congratulations!
EB
Eddy Baez recently posted..If you can dream it, we can draw it!
Can you believe it man! Total chance. Wasn't even thinking about it! Very nice sandbar indeed!
Oh. Wonderful. Big congrats to you.
We never want to buy a house again......
Jill recently posted..The first 24 hours in a new country … again
Thanks Jill.
Not really sure if I want to buy one again either, but we will see. You never know.
hey that happened to me too!! Call it luck, or the aligning of the stars... I call it God's blessings upon us!
We have been set in motion too.. We got a brand new vehicle for our future travels. This one big enough to fit everyone, to pull a trailer if we decide to get one, and beyond our dreams!!
God is good. We had been looking and praying for this for 2 years now. At the right moment, it happened! It was painless!!
Can't wait to hear on the next chapter of your adventure!!
tereza crump aka MyTreasuredCreations recently posted..Garden Update I
Really happy for you guys. Congrats! That is one of the top stress points for us as we prepare for our travels. I'm hoping some of your luck will rub off on us and we'll sell ours quickly. It really is amazing how things just start falling into place sometimes. Hmm, maybe Paul Coelho was right when he wrote, "When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it."
I am going thru oodles of changes right now. Yet a coworker calmed me down today with, "If its meant to be, it will happen". And I took to that understanding today with certain decisions. And it actually put me at peace.
Congrats. "its meant to be" and that is awesome.
Christine @ Oatmeal Bowl recently posted..Healthy Eating: List of High Protein Vegetables
I'm a big "it's meant to be" guy. I figure once we close I'll chalk it up to the stars. Thanks Christine!
Brilliant! Having a house and a mortgage is my biggest worry with setting off travelling (and probably the main thing that may force me back to work eventually). So pleased that it's worked out well for you!
9to5refugee recently posted..Round the world trip planning update
Thanks! I hope it works out as well as it has begun. We'll know in a few weeks when we close. Happy Day!
Oh my goodness! Yay!!!!! That is so amazing, I hope it all works out for you. Meant to be eh?
We were scared when our house finally sold. All of a sudden the thing we had longed for was finally real and we were like "Holy Crap! Now what?" But the fear, although it is still there a bit, fades as you start to make concrete plans. Its just so freaking exciting!
Amy @WorldschoolAdventures recently posted..We’ve Been Busy!
Reminds me of that quote by film producer Samuel Golwyn:
"The harder I work, the luckier I get" - so give yourself a little credit too
And congrats on the sale, it's weird to be excited for people you don't know but also surprisingly easy!
Rich recently posted..Solo backpacking and Valentine’s Day: A tale of woe.
Holy jumping macaroni, Justin! That's incredible news! I have heard about this house sale for a few days now, but didn't have internet to come over and see what happened. Fantastic!
As you say, it's all about BEING ABLE to travel - it's about the freedom to call the shots and live life your own way. You're doing that. big time!
"You can't ever forget about luck, but luck isn't everything."
I love your posts. You always have such great quotes in them
I do agree--luck has a lot to do with it, but so does our hard work. It is definitely a combination of the two.
I'm still in awe about the way you sold your condo. Life is so crazy awesome sometimes!
- Maria Alexandra
Nomadic Translator @latinAbroad recently posted..El Morro photos and history: Puerto Rico Travel Bucket List Wednesday