My father used to take me on the famous Carousel at Coney Island. As the carousel went around the people on the outside horses could grab rings from a mechanical arm. If you were lucky enough to get the brass ring, you would get a free ride. I remember being small enough that my father would sit me on his lap while he sat on the horse. He would lean over and grab the rings and then let me toss them into the fabric collection bucket.
I remember feeling a heightened level of excitement every time my father would reach out for the ring. There was that moment when the next ring would pop into place. Would this one be the brass ring? Would we be the ones who got to hold it up high so the bell could be rung? A few times we got lucky and the ring was brass, but more often it was stainless steel. I was always slightly disappointed when we didn’t get the brass ring. But as soon as we got close to the mechanical arm again, I would forget my disappointment and get excited all over again.
So much of what happens in life comes down to luck. I am hoping that my luck will be good, but it could be a while until I know. Right now I feel the same excitement I felt when the mechanical arm would first come into sight. The brass ring is still in play. But its not quite my turn and someone else may grab it before me.
If I wrap my fingers around that ring and look and see brass, I would be thrilled. If that happens, my luck will have gone up to eleven. If instead, I look down and see stainless steel, that would be ok too. Not quite what I was hoping for, but the ride isn’t over yet. Who knows what will happen in the next go-around?