When life isn't fair

 

When Life Isn’t Fair: Lessons in Patience and Perseverance

We were raised on a beautiful story — but have you ever paused to consider what that story truly promised?

We were told that the world is fair, that people are kind, and that if we worked hard and played by the rules, life would reward us in equal measure. It was comforting to believe that goodness guarantees success — that effort is always noticed, that honesty always wins. We carried that story in our hearts for decades , expecting life to mirror it, only to discover that reality is often more complex.

Life does not always follow the story we were told. The field is rarely level, quiet efforts may go unnoticed, and good intentions do not always bring immediate recognition and that is frustrating .

Like many, I have faced setbacks. I was overlooked for promotions as a young man and sometimes ignored when convenient.

I didn’t have a fairy Godmother, a Godfather  pulling strings, nor any inheritance to fall back on— I started from scratch. Yet over time, steady effort, perseverance, a commitment to growth, continuous learning, and the encouragement of those around me have shown their worth. Recognition often comes late — better late than never — and in that waiting, we learn patience, resilience, and quiet strength. Through consistent effort and dedication, I have been fortunate to reach the pinnacle of my profession and to be rewarded in ways beyond what I could have ever imagined.

We cannot control how others act or how events unfold. What we can control is our own response. Stand firm when the winds shift, and maintain balance when the path is uneven. Life is not a sprint; it is a marathon — over different terrain, with hills, valleys, and unexpected turns. True strength is not about status; it is the ability to stay composed, gracious, and hopeful, even when circumstances are challenging.

Every challenge is a chance to grow. Hard work and integrity build character, even when rewards are delayed, and that character is its own reward.

Even in a world that can disappoint, we can find grounding in gratitude — for the people who stand by us, for small victories often overlooked, for the simple wonder of a new day. Gratitude restores perspective and gives us the strength to move forward with grace and purpose.

The story we were told as children was oh so beautiful — that goodness would always be rewarded. Life offers a subtler truth: more often than not we cannot always choose what happens, but we can choose how we meet it. And in that choice lies our strength, our grace, and our peace.

And so we rise — sometimes slowly, sometimes nervously and unsurely — not because life is fair, but because giving up is never an option for most of us . We have to succeed in order to live . We rise because there is still work to do, people who believe in us, and dreams that deserve another try. Every small step, every honest effort, counts for more than we know.

And in that steady rising, we find something far greater than success — we find our strength, our peace, and our purpose.