On What is Deserving.
“Making a case for the undeserved”
“I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either”
– Jack Benny (while accepting an Emmy)
I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote and also about the many things that it could mean. What does it mean to deserve something and when and where does luck step into the picture? These are fundamental questions that may not necessarily have answers, and even if they do, some of these answers are probably not understandable.
There are many aspects of living that are seemingly unfair given the surroundings they take, or the time they occur. For instance, the case of someone working so hard and not getting the benefits of it, or maybe eventually dying and not getting the life they sought for. Weird that we are made to believe that hard/smart work, diligence and virtue would place us on the right page of life with rewards that crowns our efforts, but what if they don’t?
There are hardly any scripts to what is deserving if we are keeping it real. Plus, the most successful people in life do not downplay their luck, and when they do, they are not being sincere with themselves and those who heed to their words. Nothing is really fully deserved, but none of that should downplay the role of effort. Effort is defining because it is action. It equates one taking their destiny into their hands and not living it to luck or some supernatural being who grants wishes in every time of asking.
Every form of efforts counts. And maybe some might not yield its long- or short-term projection, it doesn’t invalidate the action invested. We do not control these things and this is the reason why we do both – pray, hope and be optimistic about the fruits of our effort, and if they do not work out, we go again with a handful of lessons alongside a stronger conviction.
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Apologies for the hiatus, I won’t say or promise that I am back, I think I lost my mojo somewhere, somehow.
What have I been up to? Well let’s just say quite a few. Asides trying to be better at what I am, I have been reading The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel (because I am trying to understand why I do not have money), that is my read for the month of March. Asides reading, I have been seeing some TV series and at the point of writing this newsletter, I am currently hooked on Netflix Formula 1: Drive to Survive. I am really loving the motorsport.
And uhm, if you love Rap Music with a little bit of Naira Marley (lol) you should totally dig this playlist curated by yours truly. I think my music taste is top-level. No man comes close hehe.
Till we meet again, I want you to keep living for yourself and for everything that is beautiful around you.
Peace, Love, Plantain and Cupcakes.
