Equality of opportunity and not equality of result

All of us seek equality of opportunity. Opportunity, however, fails to guarantee equality of results. We may be given the opportunity to try out for the basketball team, but that opportunity fails to assure that we will make the team. 

Some people can jump higher and run faster than others. Some have better minds than others. Some have more musical talent than others. Not everyone will win. We will not receive equal prizes. 

Joy comes from doing the very best we can with the gifts we possess. Doing our very best is good enough. A 3.5 tennis player can have just as much fun as a 7.0 player as long as that 3.5 player gives best effort. 

For the right minded, effort trumps result. We can expect the opportunity to give our best effort, but we cannot expect that our best effort will produce results better than the efforts of others. Doing our best is the best we can expect of ourselves. 

The Hidden Consequence of Compassion

Compassion, a wonderful virtue, has the potential for generating a troubling consequence. Recipients of a  "compassionate government" can develop an infantilizing sense of entitlement--an addiction as lethal as drug dependence.

A patient with six children had been admitted to our psychiatric unit six times with post partum depression. I suggested she consider a tubal ligation. She replied, “I couldn’t do that. I need more money. Every time I have a baby I get a bigger government check.” 

Unearned gifts kill personal responsibility.

 

A Healthy Method to Ban Illegal Immigrants

A British woman planning to start a new life with her husband in New Zealand has been banned from entering the country because she is too fat. Rowan Trezise, 33 has been left behind in England, while her husband, Richie, 35, has already made the move down under leaving her desperately trying to lose weight.  When the couple first tried to gain entry to the country they were told that they were both overweight and were a potential burden on the health care system.   

Source: The Daily Mail

A Cosmic View of Life

We have a serious responsibility not to take anything seriously.    

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi