It's not fair! why me?

Often in depression, we think "It's not fair! why me ?" It would ease matters a little if life were more just. 

A middle aged prisoner in my meditation class in jail asked to see me after the session. He'd been attending for several months and I'd gotten to know him quite well. 

"Brahm" he said, "I wanted to tell you that I did not commit the crime for which I was locked up in this jail. I was innocent. I know many crims might say the same and be lying, but I am telling you the truth. I wouldn't lie to you, Brahm, not to you." I believed him. The circumstance and his manner convinced me that he was telling the truth. 

I began to think how unfair this was, and wonder how I could mend this terrible injustice. But he interrupted my thoughts.

With a mischievous grin, he said, "But Brahm, there were so many other crimes where I wasn't caught that I guess it is fair!"

I doubled up laughing. The old rogue had understood the law of karma, better even than some monks I knew.

How often is it that we do a "crime," some hurtful, spiteful act, and we are not made to suffer for it? Do we ever say, "It's not fair! Why wasn't I caught?"

When we are made to suffer for no apparent reason, though, we moan, "It's not fair! Why me?" perhaps it is fair. Like the prisoner in my story, perhaps there were so many other "crimes" where we weren't caught that life is fair after all.

Ajahn Brahm