Most of us know that 13 is often regarded as a lucky number, or conversely, as a cursed number. Some people bet on 13 in gambling, for example, while some hotels don’t even have a 13th floor.

Fear of the number 13 is triskaidekaphobia.

I don’t consider any of this significant because, aside from an increase in 13-related mischief and mayhem as part of a feedback loop/self-fulfilling prophecy, there isn’t much about the number 13 that interests me.

I thought about all of this as my wife Abby and I arrive at our 13th wedding anniversary October 12. We exchanged vows in Utah’s iconic Delicate Arch in Arches Nation Park on a perfect morning in 2004.

This entry’s title, “Worky Thirteen,” refers to the fact that luck represents about 13 percent of the success of a marriage, and the remaining 87 percent is work, patience, trust, intimacy, work, indecision, mistakes, laughter, tears, work, heartbreak, elation, connection, and work.

I have never worked so hard at anything in my life, but I have never reaped more reward from anything in my life.

You can see the complete trip report from our wedding here (link.)