Whenever I am searching through old jewelry (which is often) , I am always struck by the large number of "lucky charms" I come across. Some are religious symbols of various faiths, some are secular symbols we are all familiar with such as horseshoes and clovers. Collecting and putting these charms aside for a necklace gave me a chance to ponder the meaning of luck and why people are inspired to carry around such symbols in hopes they will bring good fortune. Luck is a funny thing, and often goes hand in hand with faith (although not necessarily religious faith). For the center focal point of this necklace, I chose a vintage souvenir charm from Las Vegas. If ever there was a place where people desire to believe in the power of luck, this is the place. If you have never been to Las Vegas, I highly recommend visiting sometime. My husband and I were lucky enough (no pun intended) to go there a few years ago. There are fabulous shows, fountain displays, shopping, hotels with live lions (in a safe enclosure, of course), roller coasters, and aquariums. There is, however, a darker side to this city. Liquor stores and pawn shops are plentiful on the outskirts of the city. Large casinos are intentionally devoid of windows and clocks in hopes to draw gamblers in to try their luck and lose track of time. I gambled a grand total of one time during my time there. I put $1 in a slot machine and promptly lost it. That was the end of that and we had better things to do than depend on luck to win some money. Yet, it is easy to see why people can get drawn in. There is such a thing as luck and being in the right place at the right time. It is possible to go to the racetrack place a winning bet on the long shot to win. You can place a bet in a roulette game and win a heap of money. There are stories sometimes heard of some famous actress who was discovered by some Hollywood director while waiting tables at a diner, or someone who picked up a discarded lotto ticket that ended up winning the jackpot. Luck certainly does exist, but too much belief in luck can leave you throwing your money away in a windowless casino. Wear your lucky charms so that you may go out in the world and try to make your own luck!