The Law of Averages

I am choosing to learn a bigger lesson from something small that happened today.
Following an appointment with a lovely dermatologist for the rashes that lurk under all my winter layers, I carried with me today the prescription for two new creams to try and a plan for if they don't work.

So, I went to one pharmacist before lunch with a friend, and they could only provide the first cream on the list.  They said they'd order the other for me which I politely declined.
I then went to another place nearby after lunch and they seemed to have both, and then realised that they'd sold the last of one, so could only do the second.  I asked if I could split the prescription between the two pharmacies and they said I couldn't.  They also offered to order them and I again declined, feeling fine if a little frustrated..

So on my way home walking up my local high street I had one more chance at the big supermarket pharmacy where surely they'd have both.
Wrong, they actually had neither and then tell me that there's a problem with the manufacturers of number 1, so they can order number 2 but don't know when they can get the other.
Polite facade dropping, I'm now quite frustrated and leave trying to be a bit polite though not feeling it.
I huff up the street, sighing and feeling a bit crap.
I then remember that there's another pharmacy between here and home and I'll try them.
Deep breathing as I go, trying not to let it be an excuse for a grump, I fleetingly think that maybe, just maybe, if the first place had cream 1, and the second place cream 2, the third neither, then by the law of averages this place should have both.

And lo and behold it did.  Well nearly.
They had a lotion rather than ointment for number 1, but told me so nicely and kindly, confirming that it didn't really matter, that I took it.  So I stood in the shop feeling happy, I even bought a little celebratory nail varnish and chatted breezily to the girl about her pharmacy exams.

On the way home I decided to apply this experience to various situations circling.

Plans are great but they don't always work out first time.  Or even second.  And often third time lucky turns out to be the unluckiest of all which is when your equilibrium decides to go on strike.
Then just when you feel it's naive to hope that it'll all turn out ok but maybe you can allow yourself to think it anyway, it can and often does do just that.
Not always in exactly the way you planned, but near enough and more than acceptably well.

And I rather like that.