Fair and Right

I try to live a life that's fair and good to the people around me. Some of the time though, my intentions are misread/misinterpreted. I often wonder how that can be, but I forget that everyone's perspective is different. No one can see things through my eyes and know all my intentions. Of course, everyone has their own ideas about fairness and righteousness too -- that makes it even harder.

What is fair? Is it fair that I have a job and someone else doesn't? Is it fair that I have a house and many do not? Is it fair that I have a wonderful wife and beautiful daughter? Clearly fairness can become quite relative. In fact, most people can not move beyond the relative thinking of fairness and twist it to convince themselves that things are unfair (to them). When comparing things it is rather logical though -- the two halves must remain equal (or at least roughly so).

Since all things are not equal, it is impossible for two people's lives to remain equal while living them out separately. One will win out in the end. One will recognize the other's success and desire it. Therein lies the perceived unfairness. Perhaps it is unfair, but then life is not "free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism" so how could anything be fair?

What's right is much trickier to define. Since there are disputes over the ultimate source of correctness (the ultimate truth) within humanity, how can you successfully convince someone else that you are right -- even on one point of debate? So many arguments boil down to beliefs that it is near impossible to determine a clear victor or to alter another person's view. So how do you?

Perhaps it can be as simple as living out your beliefs while they live out theirs. After all, no one likes a hypocrite. If one is more successful, then perhaps, just maybe, the successful one was right. Then, of course, you have to determine how to measure success. Each person has their own measure of success and both parties may declare themselves winners simultaneously. Who's right in the end?

Sometimes we have to look outside ourselves for what is right. Sometimes we have to look outside ourselves for what is fair. When we can do that and it echoes our beliefs, we sleep better at night.