Luck?

I've had a lucky life. Whenever I needed something, the universe seems to have provided for me.

But that got me thinking... am I lucky, or is something else afoot?

Something I can say for certain is that I've had my share of strange decisions I've made thus far in my life. So far I think I can count four major ones (well, three with one in process at the moment) that have made me who I am.

• Leaving Benedictine High School after two years and a day
• Dropping out of college to get into consulting
• Moving out to a new city, Seattle, and forking over a crap-ton of money to buy a house right off the hop
• Moving to Nashville (in process) having never set foot in the city (in my defense, I've spent time in the state plenty)

Each of these had a possibility of going pear shaped. But at the same time, the risks that I took were mostly calculated. The downside of each was relatively limited, but the upside was great.

For instance, college... if I didn't make the cut in the real world I could have certainly just gone back to school.

Maybe the concept of luck is just the idea that you open yourself up to the bounty that the universe presents. If I hadn't taken these risks I would not have been where I am now. I would be a very different person.

And truth be told, I think I'm rather happy with who I am. I have hard days often enough, but I think on balance I'm in a good spot.

The culmination of all these thus far is that I'll be in a house that's 100% paid for with no mortgage and no debt to speak of. That's something to write home about.

Is it luck? Is it risk? I don't know... maybe a good helping of each?