Is Life Fair ?

 Last year I was called to judge a speech contest at one  of our city colleges.
 Participants  were given slips of paper with a topic written on it and
where to come up and speak for three minutes.

Each one drew from a hat to determine who would be the first speaker
and the next and the next.
The first contestant I noticed looked disgruntled
as he got onto the podium to address the others.

"My fellow students and respected judges," he said loudly, "this is an unfair contest!"
 I, along with my fellow judges, looked up surprised.

"I have been given this paper," he continued, "to speak on a subject with just
a few minutes preparation, whereas those after me have more time to work on their speech.
This is unfair!"

He then proceeded to leave the stage and stormed out of the hall.
 Nobody missed him and the contest went on smoothly.
 I met him later as I was leaving.

"Who said life is always fair?" I asked him with a smile.
 He looked at me startled and I asked him to walk with me to my car.

"Life," I told him, "is also fighting the unfair and still winning!
 Do you read automobile magazines?"

"Yes," he said eagerly, "I do."

"Have you seen statistics shown when a new car is being introduced into the market?
 They talk about speed and torque and transmission and horse power."

"Yes," he nodded.

"There is a disclaimer they put after all these figures.
They say all this data is when the road conditions are 'ideal'!"

"Yes," he said again.

"Are road conditions always 'ideal'?" I asked him.
 "The car that sells best is the car that will deliver power and speed and durability both
in the ideal and in the worst road conditions with potholes and mud and slush.
That car is the winner!"

We had reached my car and he stood by my side as I got myself in.
 "Don't always look for ideal playing conditions," I said.
"Fight also in the unfair conditions and then come out a true winner!"

I looked back in my rear view mirror as I drove away and saw him smile
and wave and knew he would fight the unfair from now on.

Ask the successful people.
They fight whether the battle is fair or unfair.

~ Author Unknown ~