Life Isn’t Fair; Take Lessons from It!

By Siddhesh A. Shinde

To impart life lessons to her grandson, a grandmother took a seat next to him.

“I sense a struggle within you. You gave it your all, yet you still fell short,” she said.

“He was well-off. A good destiny and a terrific coach to teach him the best skills. Why am I unable to overcome him? You see, up until now, we have played each other eight times, and I have lost every game. I only want to beat him once,” the grandson answered.

Grandmother questioned, “And will that give you peace?”

“Yes, he always makes fun of me, telling me constantly that he is superior. Makes me merely irritated. I've played against the best and won, but never him. And what a day it was to lose the championship match against him. Since it's your birthday, I figured I could get the cup and... I'm not sure if my tennis game is better enough to win. I feel like life is treating me unfairly,” the youngster complained.

The grandson questioned the grandmother, “What do you think, aaji?” while they both remained silent and contemplated this knowledge.

“If peace is what you look for by defeating him once. Then surely you are on the wrong track. If your life goal is limited to one win, then surely your defeats will make your life unfair,” answered Grandma.

“It sounds right but does not satisfy me,” replied the boy.

“The answer to your query is straightforward. Instead, a solution you are aware of but cannot recall. Take lessons from your past. Either move forward and excel, or stay whining about what you failed to win or achieve. Everyone is aware of Arjun’s victory over Karna,” the grandma said. However, the young child clarified, “Karna was stronger than Arjun.”

His grandmother patted him on the shoulder and smiled, “But his decision was incorrect. See, although Karna was the best, his life's circumstances led him to make the incorrect decision. His life was full of insecurity, jealousy, and bitterness, so he trusted the wrong people and ultimately lost. He opted to act in that manner. On the other hand, Lord Krishna likewise experienced terrible circumstances as a child. He lived in continual terror of being slain. Even getting to wed his true love was not possible for him. His village’s inhabitants had to move to a new location. Despite growing up in a lot of challenging situations, Lord Krishna managed to become a safe, knowledgeable, and compassionate adult. Do you comprehend?”

The youngster agreed, nodding his head. His grandmother gave him more encouragement, saying, “You see kid, Karna always had one purpose to prove that he was the best but Lord Krishna intended to make everybody the best. Simply play to win your battles, not other players. Most of us use the unjust events in our life as justification for what we do, which is typically wrong. We wallow in self-pity and hold everyone else accountable for the struggles we had to endure. We justify our deeds by the hardships we have to endure. Never forget that while life may be challenging at times, our destiny is not determined by the shoes we wear but rather by the steps we take. Just pause for a moment, my dear, and ask yourself: Is it Krishna or Karna who lives in your heart? I hope you will make the proper decision when you receive the answer.”

Both looked at each other and smiled. The youngster remarked, “I believe I have the answer.” The grandma gave him another pat on the back, this time a little harder, and rose up, saying, “Now that you’re on the field the next time, don't feel the mind with competition; instead, focus it on keeping the ball on the RIGHT TRACK and victory is yours. Enjoy the game, kid. Without a question, winning is vital, but so is learning from your failures and not blaming it on destiny or our life.”

As he stood up with renewed vigour, the young lad nodded and said, “Time to learn from the Past.”

Moral:

Life is not fair to anyone. However, your mind already knows what is Right. No matter how many times we were treated unfairly, humiliated, or denied what was rightfully ours, what matters is how you retorted at the moment. The unfairness of life allows you to discover your best self rather than permitting you to walk the incorrect path.

By Siddhesh A. Shinde