807 - LIFE IS JUST NOT FAIR
No. 807
Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN
LIFE IS JUST NOT FAIR!
We often hear the statement that “Life is just not fair.” There is another line we can add to this statement that is equally true. It never has been fair and never will be. There are many different areas of life where this applies but one of the most fundamental, often overlooked in our society, begins at birth.
If you will contemplate what I am going to say in this column and really give it some thought, you may never look at another human being the same again. It has to do with genealogy, and who our parents are or were. For example, one child is born into a loving family, parents are successful, educated and do their best through precept and example to rear their children in a Godly home, steeped in family values.
On the other hand, another child is born to a crack-addicted single-mother, who may not even know who the child’s father is, and is living in a small, roach-infested, apartment in the ghetto, on welfare, illiterate and a school drop-out, with eight siblings under the age of 10.
The irony of these two examples is that the child, in each case, had no choice whatsoever in choosing his or her parents. This is the reason life is so unfair and why we should be very careful when it comes to judging the less fortunate who come across our path each day. Quite often when I am at the fitness center doing exercises in an attempt to ward off senility, I see people who weigh more than 400 pounds and have to take the elevator because they cannot make it up the steps. These people need compassion, not ridicule or scorn.
Another factor in the equation when it comes to life being unfair is that we all inherit the genes, hereditary characteristics and predisposition for certain diseases from our parents. When we have a serious medical problem, the first question usually asked is “did one or both parents have this condition?”
Keeping what I have just shared in mind, the United States of America is perhaps the best place on earth to be for the person who was not born into the best of circumstances, has one or more parents with a history of serious medical problems, or may be physically or mentally handicapped. In spite of our huge national problems, because of our political and economic systems, we still have more opportunity for success and happiness than 90 percent of the rest of the people on earth.
One of the reasons this is true is because that ill-fated child may encounter one or more positive role models early enough in life to provide some of what was missing in the early years. We see examples on every hand where a Godly mother, a fine teacher, a great coach, a compassionate boss, a pastor or someone of high character was there at a very critical time to fill the void. Earlier I said that if you would seriously consider what I was going to say that you would never look at another human being the same again. Just realize that if you are beautiful or handsome, and have a lot of good things going for you, it was in all likelihood because fate smiled on you in who your parents are or were.
It is true that life is just not fair, but don’t make it even more unfair by looking down on someone who may not have had the same good fortune that you have had. It has been said that heredity is something everyone believes in until his children start acting like fools. We should treat everyone with respect, as this is the best way to honor those who have helped us.
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(EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a public speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034. To begin a bookcase literacy project visit www.bookcaseforeverychild.com. You won’t go wrong helping a needy child.)
