Most things in life happen for a reason. Few, though, happen for exactly the reason that we initially feel inclined to attribute. This may sound like an odd thing for someone like me to say but we have to be careful about what we read into omens and portents. We tend to use them as an excuse to support a prejudice. We can be too quick to let them buoy up our hopes or feed our fears. The absence of a useful asset should not be a reason to give up on a key idea. What's needed  is not pessimism but perseverance.