The Lottery of Grace

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A while ago, before my residency program started, we drove to the gas station to get some fuel into the car. While my husband was sorting that out, I looked across at the convenience store within the gas station and saw a notice pasted on the window stating that someone had won $50,000.00 in lottery at that location. I found that quite interesting. Normally I do not even bother to try the lottery because I just don't do well with anything lottery-like. So, I decided to find out the probability of actually winning a lottery. 

At the time, I realized that the probability of winning a jackpot was 1 in 13,983,816. You have a better chance of getting in a car accident, plane accident or getting struck by lightening than it is to win the lottery.

I actually did a little research and found out that the lifetime odds of dying from a local meteorite, asteroid or comet impact was 1 in 1,600,000. Compared with 1 in 90 for a car accident, 1 in 250 for a fire, 1 in 60,000 for a tornado, 1 in 135,000 for lightning, 1 in 8 million for a shark attack, or 1 in 195 million for winning the PowerBall lottery.

If the probability of you being struck by lightening (as rare as that is) is relatively higher than the probability of being hit by an asteroid which is also higher than that of winning a lottery. Then, Why do people still play the lottery?

I asked someone this question and the person answered “hope”.

Then hope must be a powerful thing.

According to Laini Taylor "Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there 's actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic."

That is a powerful quote on hope. I see hope as a light that has the capability to make every darkness go into oblivion. Whatever, life chooses to do to you, never lose your light. Don't give up hope, ever.

Another day, I was getting the children ready for school and we were having one of our early-morning-before school, morning-preparation talks when my daughter said to me "you are so lucky". To which I responded, " sweetheart, I am not lucky, I am graced"! I had to explain to her. Then my son, who was listening to the conversation all along said " Mommy, tell me about grace." To which I said " dear son, grace is the unmerited favor of God that makes us receive without asking. It makes things much easier". Then he said "okay mommy".  He seemed satisfied with my response. It was a great teaching moment.

My life is a product of the grace of God. So when I say I do not operate  by luck I know exactly what I am talking about. Daily I win a lottery of grace!


" A lesson for all of us is that for every loss, there is victory, for every sadness, there is joy, and when you think you've lost everything, there is hope." 

                                                                                - Geraldine Solon

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