Some People Have All the Luck

Once in a while, the toast does fall jelly-side up

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Double or Nothing

I won a free car—twice! The first time, I entered a sweepstakes to win either a grocery shopping spree or a car, and I was thrilled when a company rep called and told me I'd won the car. Years later, my husband and I were looking around at a car dealership when I threw my name into a barrel for a drawing to win a new car. They called on April Fool's Day, but it was no prank—I'd won again. The heather plant, for which I'm named, symbolizes luck and fortune, and that's been very true in my life.

—HEATHER HOFFMAN Vancleave, MS

Making Light

One holiday season, we plugged in our Christmas tree and found that the lights didn't work. We went to Macy's that afternoon and found a $200 tree on sale for $100. The clerk told us if we'd arrived before noon, we could've gotten it for $25. We were still happy with our 50% discount—but when the clerk scanned the tree, it rang up as $25. We kept that tree for 15 years. I think, sometimes, luck is just how you perceive things.

—EVIE GEORGE Albuquerque, NM

Good Things, Good People

Shortly after I bought my first lottery ticket, my sister took her son to California for treatment with a specialist. To her dismay, the specialist insisted on immediate surgery. I requested unpaid leave from work and flew out with my infant niece to join them, then cared for the baby for a month while my nephew recovered. Everything went well, and I was so grateful to be able to be there for my sister and her children. When I got home, I found out I'd hit the lottery. I'd forgotten all about it, but the winnings made up for the wages I lost that month.

—VIRGINIA BRUSCHI Canonsburg, PA

Turning Things Around