Oh no, I won the raffle!

I have accepted it for years. I have absolutely no luck in games or gambling. When I would go into the casino of Trouville, France with my girlfriends, years ago, my coins would be swallowed by the machines without ever provoking ringing sounds and cascades of earnings. I take part into raffles without second thoughts, just for the joy of contributing to a good cause. Each time, it is confirmed to me: winners are always the others ones, never myself. Not that I am bitter or anything.

At Curves where I work out day after day at building steel muscles under my curves, members regularly have the opportunity to be part of charity actions. Sometimes we can bring cans for a food bank, or newborns diapers for an intensive care unit specialized in caring for infants. Or we can purchase raffles tickets whose profits will go to research against cancer. I felt very comfortable buying two tickets, $5 apiece, at the end of October. The grand prize of the raffle was a weekend in a cabin in the countryside. I enjoy my own home for weekends, which usually are the busiest time of the week and countryside depresses me. I was particularly serene when I purchased those tickets.

But the specific irony of chance caught up with me after all those years. On Monday, a joyful voice on our recorder let me know that my ticket had won me the envied grand prize. Uh oh. And since Irvin also heard the message and immediately rejoiced at the news, I could not discreetly decline the prize.

So let’s be positive. We probably will be able to spend this weekend in the middle of the week in a not too rainy time in the coming months. According to the depiction of the place, the cabin is located not far from the scenic town of Poulsbo, close to a beach (something that will immediately raise my moral) with views on the mountains.
And I have to admit it since I just experimented it : winning the big prize also provides a rush of excitement and unexpected joy. Whatever the grand prize may be.