What are the odds?

Do you ever wonder, how did I get here? How did the choices I made in life get me where I am? I always intended to teach; from the time I was about 4, I wanted to be a teacher. I got to college, put in 2 years as an education student, majoring in math, when I was told that there would not be any teaching positions available for us. So I changed my degree. Without taking any social work classes, I ended up “temporarily” working as a social worker and retired from that job 28 years later. How did that happen?

 

I married young, barely 22. My life was all arranged. He would finish pharmacy school, we would save, buy a bigger house, save again, buy a business, I would have 2 children and retire at 40 with so I could be home with the kids when they were a bit older and really needed full time watching. I would then work part time at the drugstore, doing the books. Right. We divorced when I was 35, with a 3 year old. He took the business, I kept the house and the child.  How did that happen?

 

Speaking of odd things happening, if you really want to hear your favorite song on the radio, arrive at your destination. You will then be stuck either sitting in the car listening to it in someone’s driveway or have to turn it off. If it is raining, your umbrella is in the trunk or the house.

 

If my dogs get sick and have to have emergency treatment, it will always be some time when my regular vet’s office is closed. I will then have torush to the emergency, 24-hour three-times-as expensive vet. My daughter never got an ear infection when the sun was out. Oh no, they happened on Sunday nights and on holidays. I had really bad ear infections once. It was late on a Saturday night. The hospital thought I was lying, and they stuck me in a waiting room with a young, screaming baby, and left me there over an hour. When the doctor finally lowered himself to look in my ears, he apologized profusely and immediately gave me some liquid codeine. My daughter was young and she was with me, watching me holding pillows over my head. She also was distressed to hear that baby screaming for so long. I never did find out what was wrong with the baby, or with the doctor, either. They weren't busy.

 

Got a big date or a vacation planned? You will get some sort of skin eruption. Going to be in a confined location with someone you want to impress? Gas. Waited for weeks for the right weekend to plant your garden? Thunderstorms. First day of Caribbean vacation? Sun poisoning. Have to drive a long distance for an emergency? Empty tank. Finally get some sleep after a rough week? Nightmares. Show off your new baby? Spit up and/or wet diaper. New car? Grocery cart. What are the odds of all of these things happening? Low on cash? ATM broken or empty.

 

Who hasn’t had these things happen? Of course, we also have the times when we are running late and all the lights are green. The alarm clock fails, and we wake up anyway. Sometimes we buy a new dress thinking it will be too small and it fits perfectly since we didn’t even realize we lost 5 pounds. Maybe the man we wanted to meet turns out to be a best friend’s cousin. Good things happen too. But we remember the odd things, don’t we? Good or bad? Stats. Must be why match attracted me in the first place.