As you see it
Everytime I feel ungrateful for what I have, I'm forced to see how bad it could have been but isn't.
The family you're born into, the place you're born at, the karma of those before you - everything affects the trajectory of your life whether you believe it or not. Imagine running a race but your starting point is kilometres behind everyone else's. It'll be so much difficult for you to get ahead. Well, that is life. Some get ahead, some don't.
If you're touting merit - well let me break it to you, MERIT IS A MYTH.
Yes, your intelligence, education, strength, hardwork does play a role but so does luck. And without luck, nothing ever makes way. I have plenty of examples for this but let's keep it for another day. Anyone who doesn't acknowledge the role of luck in their success (or failure) is delusional.
Winning can mean different things for different people just based on who they are and where they come from. For some it is a constant fight just to put enough food on the table, some are trying to make a living and for some, life is about constantly elevating identity and power. Which bracket you fall in...does NOT depend on you.
What matters is how far you travel from where you started. That is the true measure of success but there's no one to measure but yourself. Pat your back once in a while.
Coming to think of it, it seems so unfair that people are dying of starvation in some part of the world and here I am, using cinnamon flavoured tooth paste. But this is how the world is. Our goal should be to make it a little less harsh for the those around us...even if it pushes us back a few steps.
Choose to be kind, again...when no one is keeping a count.