Whatever your first image for the "luckiest man" might be — health, money, talent, friends — I probably matched it, save that I was never drop-dead handsome. And that was lucky too. I had friends who were that good looking, and it wasn't a blessing to them. Some people envied them, many hated them, the wrong ones pursued them, and if they weren't careful their looks would take over their lives. You can hide being smart when people start to hate you for it, but you can't very well hide your face. 

The part of my luck that mattered most, however, was being blessed with clarity. Now, since that concept might be new to you, I'll ask you to try this: Imagine going back in time to the day you were born, just as you are right now. Imagine living through those years a second time, knowing in advance when all the wars and scandals would start and knowing how they'd end up. How much easier might that be?