"You're out of luck". That's what the salesman told me when he didn't have my size in a shoe. I didn't think anymore about it until I ran out of gas driving home from the mall. A few minutes later a policeman stopped to offer assistance and noticed my license tags had expired. It was true. I was out of luck.

Because I didn't know where to get more, I decided to do whatever I could to avoid - misfortune. Some people knock on wood after saying something they don't want jinxed. I'm not going to knock that anymore. After spilling salt, some people throw a pinch of it over their left shoulder. I'll try it, but I think apologizing for spilling the salt would help too. Others say, "bread and butter" when they and a companion walk on opposite sides of something. I have no idea why they say it, but now I wouldn't dare not to. I'm also going to avoid walking under ladders and black cats. Hopefully, my neighbor's cat, Spooky, will avoid me too.

Unfortunately, there's no formula for making luck - no witches' brew you can buy at the pharmacy; but when opportunity knocks, I'm going to answer - even if it's knocking on someone else's door. I'm going to take risks - wherever they take me; and since it's who you know that counts, I'm going to get out and know more people.

Maybe it would help if I thought about all the wonderful things I'm fortunate to have in my life. Maybe I'd get more fortunate through the law of attraction. Maybe I should try harder to think positive. I'm going to do that. I'm going to think that my cosmetic mirror is only cracked - not broken.

I wish I could be one of those people who don't believe in chance. They believe what you get in life is earned through education and hard work, through determination and sacrifice. It sounds good, but how do they explain lottery winners?

If there really is such a thing as luck and I'm really am out of it, am I unluckier because I know it? Will I be less hopeful? Maybe good fortune is like gas and sometimes you just run out of it. I'm confused, but not too confused to look on the bright side. My not asking anymore questions about this proves one thing - you're lucky.