LUCK- Good or Bad

All of us have heard people who almost constantly complain when things go wrong and say: “That’s just my luck,” or “this isn’t my day,” or “I should have stayed in bed,” or “I’m having a bad hair day.” Everyone has some ups and downs and frustrations. But is it right to blame all of this on “bad luck?”

Foreclosures on homes, unemployment, businesses going bankrupt are reasons to consider ,according to the economy, whether good or bad. Many of us have been touched in one way or another. Mine family has been hit by unemployment.

My growing-up years were during the 30’s, “The Great Depression.” It was not easy - my Dad worked for the WPA ( Works Progress Administration). This was one of the programs President Roosevelt created to put Americans back to work. The WPA gave jobs to 8.5 million unemployed at an average wage of $43 monthly. For the 11 billion the WPA spent, the country got 65,000 miles of roads, 200,000 buildings and bridges.

Another program was the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), known as “Tree Monkeys”, which employed 2.5 million men who planted trees and built 31 State Parks in Texas alone.

These are just two of several programs President Roosevelt started that were meant to preserve the pride of American workers in their ability to earn a living and would hopefully see the U.S. back into a secure economic status.

The impact of these work relief programs saved the depression-era Americans from unemployment and destitution. This generation learned to make-do, not to get upset over little tings and to accept the things they couldn't changed.

This little poem had a big impact on my life during this time:

Never say Die
Never say Die, say Damn
It isn’t classic, it may be profane,
But we mortals have need of it
Time and again.
And you’ll find you’ll recover
From fates hardest slams
If you never say Die, Say Damn

So, don’t attempt to relive the past or to waste time on regrets. Look toward the future, not yesterday. The first step, of course, is to take inventory of yourself. What you do with what you’ve got helps to determine your luck. You yourself are the only one who can change your direction and chart your course. We all have setbacks, but keep on keeping on. Count your blessings and always take time to pray. The Lord tells us we can start over new each day. There is Hope.

I found this timely quote . Author unknown.” Problems are made for big people and how you solve them is the yardstick of how big a person you really are.”