Contest entry #3 by Jill Berrett. Don't forget you still have until tomorrow to enter the contest! We still want to hear from you all.
If I could sum up the majority of my thoughts from the past three or four days I think that the above statement would probably be the winner. “It’s not fair. This is not fair. Not fair, not fair not fair!” Apparently I revert back to my ten-year-old state when under duress, but no matter, because to be honest, this really hasn’t been fair.
Coming from a family of all girls, we were overly obsessed with the concept of fairness. We were instantly aware of any occasion where one sister got more than the rest of us. Desserts were painstakingly measured and cut so we all got equal portions. Christmas presents were counted and recounted to be sure that we all got the same number. Closets were compared to see if perhaps a sister was luckier in her clothing selections than the others were. The words, “not fair” were uttered so much by us that in time they started melding together until a sort of “nofeair” sound was recognized by us all as to mean, “That’s not fair!”
We drove my parents crazy. So much so that my Dad created a mantra that continues to dominate our family life today: “Life’s not fair.” As soon as the little girl, high-pitched whine of, “but that’s not fair!” was heard, we knew that quickly on its heels would come the deep, fatherly-voiced reply of, “well, life’s not fair.”
Strangely enough, I think this concept of my dad's really started to sink it at some point. I’m not sure at what point it was- whenever it was, it look a long, long time, but standing where I am in my life now- today- I find myself saying, when the occasion calls for it, “well, Jill- life’s just not fair.”
So I guess this is what I have learned: Yes, at times I wish things in my life were different. But it'll be okay I suppose because, really- life just isn’t fair...
I did my best. I did what I could. Sure, I didn’t get what I wanted in the end, but at least I know it wasn’t from lack of trying on my part. I may not have gotten what I feel I deserved, but no worries. I’ll simply wait for the day to come when I get something far more than I deserve. Because let’s not forget- there are two sides to every coin. You see, sometimes this whole “life’s not fair” thing can really work out in our favor…
This has been an original essay by one Jill Berrett, copyright pending...
1 comment:
Recently I was in an argument with someone who would not listen to what I had to say. They were refuting everything I said I was feeling and would say "no you don't feel like that." It was infuriating and I just wanted to scream that they were ridiculous. At some point I realized that arguing was pointless. They were not going to listen to reason and they were not going to hear me out. I felt very very much that life wasn't fair in that moment. All I wanted was to be heard and this person was adamant that they would not listen. As much as I fought it I realized that being frustrated and angry wouldn't help the person listen to what I was saying. It wasn't fair but I decided if I didn't let it go it would continue to fester. This post really stood out to me and I had one of those Oprah "Ah ha moments" when I said to myself "oh THAT is why it is not working in my favor...because life isn't fair! Thank you for your post =) it enlightened me in a frustrating moment.
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