According to my first diary, this Saturday is Rob Lowe’s birthday.
Apparently on March 17, 1984, I had a lunch of lamb stew and then spent an afternoon flying a kite and swapping scratch and sniff stickers with my sister. Then later I got together with Rob.
Um, via collage.
When it came to crushes and boys I put a lot of emphasis on luck and wishing and okay occasionally praying to certain patron saints in the name of love. I probably would’ve spent my entire St. Patrick’s Day in a clover patch waiting for the Great Four Leaf Clover to arrive if I thought it would help my case.
Yes, St. Patrick’s Day was extra special and extra lucky. It was the one day a year that I owned my freckles and my complete inability to tan. But when I was a young teenager it offered me something even more powerful.
Optimism.
Okay so maybe my diary entries portray me as kind of clueless (and dork-tastic, check out this post if you’re not quite sure), but there’s something to be said for a little positive thinking.
Because gluing your picture alongside your crush (or combing a clover patch) leaves you open for opportunity.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
Like on March 17, 1990.
Preparation: I curled my hair and put on something green.
Opportunity: A frat house St. Patrick’s Day party.
The luck: I met my husband.
No glue or scissors needed
Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
What are your thoughts on luck?
Coleen Patrick 
During another lifetime, I commented that I was pretty lucky and a stranger corrected me, “No, you’re blessed.” I waffle between luck and blessing, because of that woman. I mean sometimes it feels like luck and then sometimes it just feels like a blessing. I like your quote. I’m not sure “blessing” fits in there every time. Cute pix of you and your hubby. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
LikeLike
I know what you mean Stacy–a lot of times I catch myself wondering about the difference between luck and blessing. Most of the time they kind of blend into one. Either way, I think both require being “open.” 🙂
LikeLike
The comment of you and your hubs is so adorable!
I’m not much of a believer in luck, but I do believe in leaving yourself open to opportunity. Sitting around waiting for something to happen usually results in, well, a lot of sitting around.
LikeLike
So true, I have done my fair share of sitting around! 🙂
LikeLike
I definitely believe in luck – more since I published than ever before! How else do some books zoom to the top of the best seller lists while the author did next to nothing to promote, yet other (also good) books wallow in obscurity? Of course, there are things we can do to maximize our luck. Yours was getting out and being at the right place at the right time! Thanks for sharing – love the picture of you and Rob LOL. Also the one with your real guy!
LikeLike
Yes, there are definitely authors out there that make me wonder about book sales and luck!
LikeLike
Great pics! I like the quote – I think that sums up luck pretty well! And I love the word dork-tastic – I may have to use that 🙂
LikeLike
Great post, Coleen. I love your lucky memories! I remember keeping diaries full of torn out pages and whacky wishes and dreams. 🙂 In terms of luck, I agree with Oprah—it happens when preparation meets opportunity.
Have a happy St. Patty’s Day! Sounds like you have lots to celebrate.
LikeLike
I love the picture of you and Rob – how come I never did that? Although it would have been a young Harrison Ford for me. Or Shaun Cassidy.
I think I’m more a “blessings” person than a “luck” person, or at least I try to be. If I thank the Lord for blessings, and it’s really just luck, then I’ve been grateful one extra time and that’s never a bad thing. And coincidences? No – there’s always a reason!
I love the poem, too. Happy St. Pat’s!
LikeLike
I think Shaun Cassidy was my very first Tiger Beat poster ever! 🙂
LikeLike
I happened to see Rob Lowe the last time we were in Santa Barbara! He is even more stunning in person although maybe thinner….
Happy St. Patty’s Day to you! You definitely had the luck of the Irish with you!
LikeLike
Lucky you Susie! When I see him on TV now, I think he almost looks TOO handsome–almost.
LikeLike
LOVE that!!! Soooo cute!!
LikeLike
Great post! The luck of the Irish is something my grandfather STILL swears by though the man’s never set foot on the Emerald Isle. It went right along with the Irish Rovers who were played ALL week, and I was constantly reminded that my 5’3″ self was a shockingly tall female trait for my family – I should be thankful. haha For me… more Patrick Swayze/Tom Cruise – but Rob Lowe’s good too 😛
LikeLike
Tom Cruise made it into one of my collages once too!!
LikeLike
I tend to say I’m blessed, not lucky. Then again, I believe in miracles, too. : )
I’m sending lots of luck your way this St. Patrick’s Day!
LikeLike
I remember when your mom & I were down the shore for the day. We had our bus tickets to go back but ran out of money. We were walking & looked down to see a 5 dallor bill on the ground. We were screaming happy(went to eat) I call that a blessing. Certainly didn’t have anything to do with preparation (as we were quite the opposite). Although I know good things do happen when preparation & opportunity meet. I adore Rob Lowe but I’d say you got yourself a real cutie. That collage was FABULOUS!!
LikeLike
Thank you for the story Pat! I love it! 🙂
LikeLike
I would say cute, not dorky! Happy St. Paddy’s day to you too!
LikeLike
My 16 year old also thought I was being a bit mean when he saw dorky in the title–until he got to the stickers part of the story. Then he couldn’t stop laughing.
LikeLike
Oh that collage is great! Why didn’t I think of that? I do remember putting a picture of Joey Mcintyre in a frame as if he were my boyfriend. So silly. I love the quote about luck being where hard work and opportunity meet. That seems very fitting. And what a cute picture of you and your hubby.
LikeLike
I believe in preparation and opportunity, but I also think there’s such a thing as luck. Haven’t we all done something stupid behind the wheel? Yet we didn’t crash into a street lamp or worse.
Nice job with the collage of you and Rob Lowe. I especially like how you coordinated your outfit with his. The best photo, of course, is the one of you and your husband.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day back to you.
LikeLike
This is an adorable post. You are lucky and blessed. I love the story of meeting your husband. Before you told us the photo was chopped and cropped I thought it was odd that Rob Lowe’s arm was missing, but I just assumed he had it around you,lol.
Coleen, You are one of the winners of my “Get Fired Up” blogfest. Congratulations. Please contact me about your prize.
LikeLike
Happy St Patrick’s Day Coleen. You and hubby look so happy. lovely pic of the two of you. Luck? Ironically, I’ve had more good luck lately than I’ve ever had in my life. it’s been fun. My life has been blessed in many ways, but the good luck of late has been delightful.
LikeLike
CUTEST story ever!!!!
I so did not peg you as a frat-party kinda gal. Wooo wild times w/ Coleen! 😛
LikeLike
Not a frat-party kinda gal? What was it that fooled you–the sticker swapping or the kite flying?
🙂
LikeLike
Love the photo of you and your husband Coleen! That is precious! And something to be proud of. Not all that many couples have been together as long as you two. And do you really think that it was luck? I think you two were meant to be together! 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by everyone!! Have an awesome, pot of gold kind of weekend!
LikeLike
Hey Colleen,
Your comment on luck and prep. says it all for me (and I do agree that luck is a blessing, too 🙂
PS… the Navy owns the “Golf Ball” in my rainbow pic… so who knows… there might be a wee bit of gold in there 🙂
LikeLike
Or aliens . . .
Thanks for stopping by Mark!
LikeLike
Another cute post, Colleen. Love the picture of your and your future hubby!
I believe in luck and I believe some people have more than others. I have an uncanny knack for winning raffle prizes. I don’t even cross my fingers or hold my breath when the tickets are drawn, I just check my stubs for matching numbers and am quite often to find that my number has just been read out loud. Not sure why that is, but I’m calling it luck.
It has nothing at all to do with being Irish either, because I’m not even close to being Irish. I must have the strange German raffle prize winning luck fairy folloiwng me around or something. I’m not complaining about it either.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you!!
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
LikeLike
I had a major winning streak winning blog contests when I first started blogging, but it’s probably because I didn’t see a rafflecopter I didn’t like! I entered them all the time!
Or its one of those prize fairies following me around. 🙂
LikeLike
Fun post Colleen! I liked reading your “When I was your age” post as well. I think there can be lucky times that we thrive on and times when we really needed some but it wasn’t there. I think we can create the best possibility of “luck” crossing our paths. Mostly for me, St. Patrick’s Day is about wearing green, not getting pinched and hopefully having or going to a fun themed green party.
LikeLike
Awww that picture of you and your to-be husband is so sweet 🙂
LikeLike
Awww! I love this. You owned your freckles and body that wouldn’t tan. How cute is that? Totally cute! And your pic of that handsome man that you didn’t even have to cut and paste. He’s definitely your good luck charm.
LikeLike
Awww. The picture of you and your hubby is so cute!
LikeLike
Thank you Ruth!!
LikeLike