People in my age group have a piece of knowledge that should be passed on to younger generations: “Life is good, but it’s not always fair.”
For years, I thought some great judge was up there making sure that outcomes would be parceled out based on a fairness scale. If I did the right thing, I’d always be rewarded. If others cheated or took a shortcut, they would pay for their misbehaviors.
How silly of me. Life is not always fair.
For example, my colleague Jessica and I have entered The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest on a weekly basis for months. We come up with, undoubtedly, the most clever caption for the cartoon presented. The following week, these highbrow Easterners determine the three finalists. We know these big-city judges have never heard of the state of Nevada, and they do not comprehend the subtle humor Jessica and I have delivered in our submissions.
Not once have we been selected as one of the three finalists.
Although life is not fair, it can be fun and spectacular. Jessica and I are considering starting our own caption contest for all those creative folks west of the Mississippi River.
My hunch is we will be one of the finalists.