Every week, without fail, I entered the gold lotto. I had a routine: buy the ticket, kiss it for luck, and then stare at it like it was a magical scroll that would one day change my life. Spoiler alert: it never did. The closest I ever came to winning was once matching two numbers—and one of those was the date.
But I never gave up. I told myself, “It’s just a matter of time.” I mean, someone had to win, right? Why not me? Okay, maybe the 47,000 other people had better odds, but still—hope is free.
Then one week, after losing yet again, I decided to try something different. Desperate, I turned to a higher power. I dropped to my knees in the living room (narrowly missing the corner of the coffee table) and prayed with full sincerity, “Dear God, if You’re listening, I’m not asking for a yacht. I’m not asking for fame. I just want a small win. Enough to pay off my bills and maybe upgrade my microwave. Please give me a sign.”
The next day, I was still feeling spiritually curious, so I went to the local fairground. They were hosting a family event with cotton candy, bumper cars, and suspiciously overexcited clowns. I wandered through the stalls, wondering if maybe—just maybe—I would find my sign here.
I even checked the fortune teller’s tent, but it was closed. A piece of paper taped to the door read: “Out of crystal balls. Try again later.”
I sighed, looked up at the sky, and muttered, “Come on, God. Just give me a hint.”
Suddenly—CRACK!
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and a loud boom followed. Everyone screamed and ducked, but not me. I stood tall, wide-eyed, thinking, This is it! The divine message I’ve been waiting for!
Sure enough, as the smoke cleared, I saw something incredible: the lightning had struck a metal sign right in front of me. The crowd gasped. The sign, now slightly singed and wobbling, read:
“BUY A TICKET FIRST.”
Turns out, in my spiritual excitement, I had forgotten to actually buy a ticket that week.
Lesson learned: even miracles can’t help if you don’t do your part.
Now I never forget to buy my ticket. I still haven’t won, but at least I know God’s got a sense of humor.
