The Unearned Gift: Tales of Beauty, Luck, and the Fighting Spirit

Once upon a time, there was a woman who could turn heads wherever she went. Men would fawn over her, and opportunities seemed to fall into her lap effortlessly. She was a natural-born salesperson, her beauty a magic wand that opened doors and charmed clients. But for all her luck, she remained blissfully unaware, mistaking her privilege for the norm.

In the same town, there was a boy who seemed to coast through life. He rarely cracked a book, yet somehow aced every test, leaving his hardworking classmates in the dust. He, too, was blessed with good fortune, born into a family of wealth and privilege.

These two individuals, though seemingly worlds apart, shared a common thread: their advantages were woven into the very fabric of their being. The woman’s beauty, the boy’s intellect – gifts they received not through struggle, but through the whims of fate.

I never envied them. It wasn’t their fault life had dealt them such a favorable hand. The world, after all, is a chaotic place, showering blessings and burdens with unpredictable grace. Some find themselves in emerald meadows, while others fight their way through barren wastelands. Yet, repining over what we lack only serves to cripple our spirit.

As a young man, wrestling with self-doubt and a yearning for talents I felt I didn’t possess, my father offered a simple yet profound lesson. “What do you call the doctor who graduated last in his class?” he asked.

Bewildered, I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I admitted.

With a twinkle in his eye, he replied, “A doctor.”

That day, I learned the most important lesson of all: perseverance trumps privilege. The will to fight, the unwavering spirit – these are the true gifts that define us. They are the seeds we sow, the gardens we cultivate, regardless of the soil in which we find ourselves.

So, the next time you find yourself staring wistfully at another’s fortune, remember the beauty within you, the strength you possess. It may not be handed to you on a silver platter, but it is there, waiting to be unearthed. Take heart, for the greatest treasures are not those we receive, but those we forge with our own hands.