We are the lottery winners

We are always surprised to see even numbers, as if they were less likely than non even ones.   The cashier is always surprised when the total with taxes comes to 40 dollars even.   But other numbers surprise us too -- the other day I saw a gas station sign with "Gas:123.4 - Propane:78.9", and I freaked out!

The reason why we care so much about even numbers, or progressions, or palindromes is that we consider them special.   And they definitely are, if only because they're easier to remember.

Another special number is obviously the one on the lottery ticket that we just bought.   If it does get extracted, then we'd be more than just surprised.   Most of us would start thinking of destiny and fate.

The thing is that when a special number turns out of random chance we tend to mystify the situation as if something equally special must have contributed to it happening.   In reality, in all fair cases, nothing contributed... it was just chance.   We're only having that thought after the fact.   And after the fact the probability of something that did happen is 100%.

This expands to the transcendental.   What are the odds that, of all possible combinations of elements, we ended up with an Earth that allowed the development of intelligent forms of life?   The odds are 100% because it did happen.   For how unlikely that that is, we wouldn't be wondering about it if we weren't here.   We are the lottery winners!