It is natural for us to detest our positions in life at times; that we have not been fairly treated. Most feel we deserve much better and that others got the better pick of the cards! But are we not mostly blessed and the position that we find ourselves in are of our own making? Are we doing enough to get out of the rut or just wallow in self pity? When we look around and analyze, it becomes clear that those who are supposedly ahead had to work their boots off, even to hold their ground. They are easy targets for those in pursuit, having shown the way towards success.
Monday mornings, especially, are not that easy to keep up the spirits. The trash from the past week has to be cleared in a hurry! Then fresh tasks pile up. There are no easy holes to bury our heads! Our jobs could look like the pits; but in these harsh times, are there not many who are after those that we hate? We might feel we are in hell, but for those who aspire for any job to get by, they can be heaven sent!
It all boils down to attitude. Just like in a relationship, we might feel others seem to be happier, but scratch the surface for realities! All are in the same boat, but then only some accept their state in life and keep smiling even in the face of adversities; for them, anything is just par for the course. The challenges in the workplace are similar; they are placed on our paths to get ahead in our careers by overcoming them, when few baulk in their steps!
Even the super rich feel insecure and even afraid of their own shadows; that they will never live long enough to enjoy their hoards! But the poor can live with carefree attitude; live for the day and do not mind leaving in a hurry for others to clear the leftovers! The bitter experiences that the disadvantaged go through could be real blessings, though they might curse their state, without realizing they learn the life’s lessons early; when the rich kids grope in the dark in hard times as they live cocooned lives.
Even the poorest of countries have safety valves to make the lives of the ordinary worth living. They find happiness with very little, even on half-empty stomachs! Anything else in their lives is a bonus to be savored, enjoyed and remembered for long! They have their near and dear ones in the same position, to get by with mutual help, sacrifice and enjoy real warmth in their mutual dealings, understand and empathize; not distrust like the rich do, mostly.
Are we really making much progress just by building big buildings and adding superficial comforts that come crumbling down in times of turmoil? What other ways can we progress and reward the hard working amongst us? Consuming more and more, even borrowing to the hilt to pursue such a path, has ruined our society and well being. We are gripped by the huge numbers that we see in the papers and spoken about, day in and day out. The creditor loses sleep more as the numbers get higher and for the debtor, it can be less of a problem!
The rich, poor, debtor, creditor, and all differently endowed have to coexist for peace. We need them all to make the society cohesive; creation is so varied; even all seeds do not bear fruits in the end! The weather is fickle most of the times and we cannot be in Goldilocks zones in life for long. How we choose to face life decides where we end up with; we can be in heaven by accepting those we cannot change, and change what we can or curse our luck and misfortunes no end and find ourselves in hell! Just by fine tuning our attitudes to life, we can even be in the Goldilocks zone, neither in heaven nor in hell and enjoy the best of both the worlds! For myself, I sometimes flirt with both to understand how others feel and try to empathize, but try not to get too mired anywhere and lose my bearings! When in worst of times, I look in the horizon for the first break of dawn, however long it takes! I have succeeded to a great extent in not letting others make me unhappy. I wish I had learned some of the ways earlier! As is said, we get presented with watches when we retire when time is not much of an essence or what use a comb or hair dryer for most elderly men. How many can emulate Hugh Hefner, anyway? Then again, it can be heaven and hell; but let us wish only the best, why invite bad karma!
