A bit of luck..and magical mojo

TGIF! Although, after a long week, sometimes it’s tough to muster the energy to go out and be social. On a rainy, chilly Friday, I could have easily come home, slipped into my pajamas, and called it a night. But the annual Firemen’s Ball was calling, and it’s one event I try not to miss each year. Supporting our local first responders is always worth the effort, and as it turns out, this particular evening was worth getting dressed up for in more ways than one!

Tim and I threw on our fancies and headed off to the Dunes Club for a wonderful night of dancing, friends, and, of course, raffles. Now, if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m a sucker for a good raffle table. So, when Tim handed me $40 to use at the cash bar. Tim called foul when I immediately diverted $30 of it to the raffle table in exchange for a stack of tickets, but it was too late... Priorities, people. Who needs another cocktail when there are baskets to be won?

I then spent the next 20 minutes carefully inspecting every single basket, plotting my strategy and deciding where to place my tickets. I scattered them among all sorts of goodies, gift cards to restaurants, liquor store baskets and other fun filled baskets. Then I spotted a basket donated by Inspire Medical Spa, the very same spa I had visited the night before with Betsy for their open house. The basket was filled with skincare products worth hundreds and included a gift card worth $2,500 in treatments. Yes, you read that right! Two thousand five hundred worth of spa treatments! Who wouldn’t love that?

Needless to say, I tossed a good chunk of my tickets into that basket, probably a quarter of my entire stash. I may or may not have said a little prayer to the gods as I threw them in.... calling all my magical mojo in for a bit of luck.

With my tickets strategically placed, it was time to enjoy the evening. We snacked on appetizers, danced, and, once the rain finally stopped, wandered out onto the beautiful beachside deck to enjoy the fresh evening air. The place was filled with friends at every turn, making it one of those nights when you spend just as much time chatting and catching up as you do dancing. We happily made our rounds, visited with our gang, and danced the night away..shedding the long week and any stress with every minute. 

Eventually, it was time for the raffle drawings. I scanned the winning numbers, hoping I might have won something. Honestly, any of those baskets would have made me happy, so I wasn't expecting much. Then I spotted my number: #17. I had won something, but what exactly? I hurried over to the raffle table, where the mystery was finally revealed.

And there it was... the holy grail of raffle prizes: THE SPA BASKET!

I could hardly believe it! Out of all those baskets, all those tickets, and all those people, I had won the one I wanted most. I floated back to Tim and our gang practically walking on clouds, proudly showing off my winnings and no doubt wearing the biggest grin in the room. Thanking my magical mojo and embracing my winning energy.

Looking back, I’d say that $30 was money very well spent. Those raffle tickets turned out to be a much better investment than a few drinks at the cash bar. Tim, on the other hand, didn't win a single thing from all his cocktails, unless you count the possibility of a hangover the following morning. 

It's funny how a night you almost talk yourself out of can turn out to be so wonderful.  We went out to support our local first responders, enjoy time with friends, and have a little fun, and I came home with a prize I could only have dreamed of winning. Sometimes, getting off the couch and saying yes to an evening out brings its own rewards... and occasionally, those rewards come in the form of a very generous spa gift card!

So here's to supporting our community, making memories with friends, dancing when the music calls, and taking a chance now and then. You never know when a little luck might find its way to you. And next time Tim hands me money for the cash bar? Well, let's just say I might have a few raffle tickets in mind!

“Fortune favors the bold.” — Latin proverb