Luck

looks like this: traveling by train through blizzard "Schneesturm Daisy" to Düsseldorf despite warnings and recommendations to stock up on food and water for the next 3 days, and arriving only 15 minutes late.

Luck looks like this: playing Scrabble for the first time in German and winning. Definitely a fluke since I am terrible at the game and was up against some superbrilliant germans. But when tränen (tears) hit the tripple word score corner, the deal was sealed.

And luck looks, especially, like this: thinking my laptop was stolen. Being convinced it was stolen. Going to the Düsseldorf police, filling out a report and submitting to a lecture by a (very cute) policeman. Calling the insurance company. Changing all passwords. Cursing Germans, thieves, trains and hospital hallways berefit of videocameras. Balefuls of remorse about everything un-backed-up. Resolving to take it as a Life Lesson....and then finding it, two days later, while unpacking in Kassel, tucked innocently into the same color, same texture, same sized suitcase I had with me all the time. When I called him to tell him the good news Christian said du blöde ku, ich freue mich so sehr - you dumb cow, i'm so happy - du bist ein lucky bastard.

I guess those are the life lessons: don't be a dumb cow. And: I am such a lucky bastard.