We come to this world in all innocence believing that everything is for our taking just as our Creator had obviously willed! But soon we learn with each passing year that things are a bit complicated; one has to fight for a piece of the cake even by stealth! Nothing is given as a matter of right; one has even to beat others to the tape! The good pickings are mostly taken and to bid for them, we have to be street smart to have a fair chance!
It is fair and square that we earn our keep, but to be street smart is only for the few. It is not easily taught in the class rooms; one learns through hard knocks in life! Once bitten, twice shy is age-old and we have to take many a painful bite throughout our lives! Obviously, these are not for the faint-hearted. Some just carry on till the end; hoping for a fairer world that becomes a distant dream as we make “progress”!
We yearn for a world that is comparable to our concept of heaven that is supposed to await us, ruled by the fairest of all who is responsible for our being! Many hope to live that enchanted life that is denied us here due to our own failings. We come with a clean slate and the data get stored from the word go or even while in the womb of our precious mothers. The learning process is tough and sometimes bitter. Love becomes scarce as time for face-to-face interaction is running short!
But all is not lost. We can apply individual brakes; thus far and no more! There is no need to follow the crowd blindly. Look around and see in the eyes of the many left behind; the yearning for recognition for their existence. Yes, they are left behind by the rat race, but they still count as fellow beings.
Even the richest will not part with their hoards without a fight; if one is poor, it is their fault! They sacrifice to earn the riches in own ways and are fully entitled to keep them till the last breath. But will they ever find a way to take a penny away beyond our shores any time soon? But they still fight tooth and nail to guard every cent.
Every one is under stress; none is excluded. But we can find our own oasis of calm provided we change our attitude to life. Find balance and never become obsessed with even our passions. Weight watchers are touchy with every ounce they gain and ordinary folks think more about the lost opportunities. From the outside, many look to be doing better than us; but scratch the surface most are entrapped in a lifestyle they hardly enjoy! But how many can call it quits? Money is always at the top of our concerns and enslaves our thinking.
Let us look around at those who live a life to their heart’s content. They accept what is given though they try to better their lot; and attitude plays a big part in their outlook. They ward off stress builders as they are aware of them involuntarily. They know the world can be cruel but the good outnumber those who choose a life that brings misery. It is up to us to know our strengths and weaknesses and balance them to keep stress builders at arms length. We are all entitled to a life of our choice but have to coexist with others with different perspectives. That could explain why we are born not the same by looks or likes and interests. But, did we not accept & trust everyone when we took our first look around us? But we changed along the way and mostly pay for our follies! It is never too late to relook our priorities, at least individually!