Following years of reflecting on the matter, I believe that we are each in our current life situation totally due to luck.
I am lucky I was born a white male in the USA.
I am lucky that I was born to my parents who – though not well off financially – were college educated and caring, loving people.
I am lucky to have been born with a healthy body.
I am lucky to have wonderful, caring, loving siblings.
I am lucky that my parents, teachers, coaches, and other influential adults, instilled in me the values of hard work, honesty, caring about others, and respect for all.
I am lucky to have had many very good friends who also had adult influencers that taught them the same values.
I am lucky that I was born with a modicum of intelligence.
I am lucky that I have been able to attend good schools – from first grade and on.
I am lucky regarding these things and many other circumstances in my life.
When you put this all together, that fact that I have the life I have is no surprise, whatsoever. It is, in fact, like a math equation. All of those inputs I listed above have produced my life.
I believe the same is true for every person on the planet. Many people do not have nearly the number or quality of lucky inputs I have had.
Therefore, when I see someone who looks like they are having difficulties in life – the homeless guy on the corner, the woman waiting at the public bus stop on a cold day with three small children, the people working low paying jobs – I realize that they are where they are totally by luck as well.
Once I made this realization about everything being due to luck, I started thinking “That could be me.”
But now I have taken it a step further: “That is me.” “That’s Me.”
