Success story
EVERY time I read a success story— not necessarily a rags to riches story but any story of success borne from dogged determination to escape pain or poverty, I am always moved, not to mention, awed by such strength and courage in the face of adversity.
Some time ago, the head of a school confided to me that while she was confident that her students were academically prepared to take on the rigors of professional life, she wasn’t as confident that they had the strength of character to live morally courageous l i ves.
I remember saying, “Well...one doesn’t develop strength of character overnight. These children born into privilege have probably never borne any kind of suffering. It is not their fault that they have been completely shielded by their parents from the pains of the real world outside.”
When you’ve never lacked for anything in your life, it is difficult to understand the plight of those who’ve lived in want all their lives. When you’ve never had to work a day in your life, it is difficult to develop a work ethic. If you’ve never known suffering, it is difficult to develop empathy and compassion for others.
If you’ve always been the belle of the ball, you’ll never understand how the wallflower feels.
When you can have anything you want, you tend to have little motivation to do anything. There lies the disadvantage of those who are born into great privilege. It’s hard to develop the drive to reach for the stars because when you were born, you were already a star.
But for those born into adversity, deprived of love and economic security, they tend to develop a tenacity of purpose that allows them to prevail in the face of insurmountable odds.
There is no shame in being born into a life of privilege. One, after all, has no choice in the circumstances one is born into. But there is also no excuse for those born under privileged circumstances to live unproductive or irresponsible lives— to contribute nothing or to account for nothing.
What circumstances give birth to entitlement? Wealth. Genius. Power. Privilege. Entitlement is an ugly thing but it is more common than we think.
I wasn’t born into poverty but neither was I born into great wealth. My father is a self-made man and because I saw how hard he worked, alongside my mother, to provide us a privileged life, I find it untenable to be indolent, unproductive and uninspiring. To be lazy and lackadaisical would be to dishonor my parents and to devalue all the sacrifices they made to give us the life we have today.
I know I have a right to life and liberty but I also know that I live by the grace of God each day of my life and I am grateful.
One day, I hope to write my own success story— the story of a prodigal daughter who comes home to become good. Finally.