Opportunity and it's Aftermath

I've recently been thinking about opportunity.  We live in the United States of America and no-one can say we are not surrounded by opportunity, right?  After all, in my own family I have a brother who is a multimillionaire.  He came from the same humble beginnings as I and, despite some interesting beginnings, he's made something of himself.  How?  Well, opportunity of course!  An idea+someone to help him along the way=success.  WAIT!  He didn't do it ALL BY HIMSELF?  No.  And there's the rub.

I always think it's interesting when people who have never struggled believe they have the answers for those who are struggling.  It usually goes something like this: "You need to get a job."  "You need to live within your means."  "You need to be more like XYorZ (roughly translated to mean kiss someone's ass)"  They offer this advice without ever having stood on their own two feet.

I'm sorry, living with your parents, buying whatever you want because you don't have to pay rent, utilities, food, insurance, etc., does not qualify you to make judgements on my life.  When you have a real dose of what it means to support yourself, come talk to me again.

Also, if your family gave you a helping hand up, with a job or the down payment to your house, or paid for your college education, or still gives you money, don't think you know what it's like to be me.  You don't.

And that sounds bitter.  I don't mean it to be.  I'm so happy there are people out there who have had a hand up and capitalized on opportunity!  I'm so happy there are success stories!  Really!

To allay another common misconception, NO, I am NOT jealous of your success.  I do not want your house, job, car, husband or money.  What I do want is for you to understand that not everyone is you or wants to be you.  Some of us are ok with who we are, struggling, trying to help others find a way up and out.

I teach a class of college students.  The other day, one told me he bought a new car.  The student now has better, more reliable transportation than I have.  And I was so happy to have helped him get there.

I feel as if I need a "BEWARE" warning for educators.  I am the poor and disenfranchised.  I was educated.  And here I am, still struggling.  Are my chances of being employed better?  Yes.  And yet I'm still unemployed.  Some days I wish I were still ignorant and wallowing in all the bs that poor people are fed, such as, "Voting makes no difference, things will never change, so why vote?"

Here's my challenge to those reading this; understand who helped you get where you are today.  Thank them for that help, and then help someone else in the same way.  It's a big world out there, what would happen if we all cared about one another?