Circumstance

Joe Torre once managed the Mets and resorted to silly advertisements in order to increase his income. Yet history will remember him for being in the fortunate position of manager of the New York Yankees during a brief time of immense success. Had things worked out differently, this picture could have been his lasting claim to fame in New York. Instead he appears on track to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Recent conversations with family and friends reminded me of how much more of our success is determined by things beyond our direct control. Dealing with these circumstances in the best manner is one thing. To draw success as an indicator of effort is quite another. Films like Match Point make this point and we have the phrase "it's better to be lucky than to be smart" to remind us, but people too often look beyond circumstances when judging one another. I suppose that is the very point then, not to judge one another for we do not know these circumstances.