I used to be a lot more competitive when I was younger.  Boy, did I ever love to play ANYTHING… And I loved to win at whatever it was being played.

On the block where I grew up, we used to have foot races down the middle of the street.  The finish line would be at the fire hydrant, in front of the Mailey’s house.   We would run our little hearts out.

But not every one could win.  Not everyone does.

And I am not sure that there are too many situations in life where we either win or lose at all.  I think most of the time, it just is.  There simply is….. more than one way about anything.

Sure… When you go to Vegas and lay it all out on the table… And take home the big pot… You feel like the winner.  But who really comes out on top at those Casinos ….in the bigger scheme of things.

You see.  There is always a bigger scheme of things.  That is how life is.  We go through a certain situation, and we may think we’ve “won” or “lost”.  But the truth of it is… However it comes out may or may not meet our expectations.  And that is when we start to put labels on it.  Without the projections, we don’t have disappointments, let downs, and the like.  Life just turns out no matter how it turns out… Despite our very best efforts sometimes.

Today…  I was talking with my Mom, telling her that Mary played in a ball tournament.  “How’d they do?, she asks.”  I responded… “Not so good Mom.  They finished fourth.”

Mom thought for a minute and said, “Welllll.  Somebody has to finish fourth.”

And there you have it.  Somebody has to finish fourth.  We all can’t be winners all the time.  As much as we’d like to be.

Sure, there are times when we draw the Ace of Spades and the One-Eyed Jack.   Or score the goal.  Or even pick the RIGHT line at the grocery store.  But life has just as many fourth-place finishes.

Even still.  You haven’t totally lost it all.  There is something to be thankful for in most any case.  (…. as long as there are more than four teams… )

And believe me… There are ALWAYS more than four teams.  Always a bigger scheme of things.

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them. “Every day begin the task anew.”
– Saint Francis de Sales