We can't all be winners

In order for there to be winners there has to be losers right? And what makes some people so lucky that they get to win all the time while there are those who just lose all the time? Can't they share the joy of being a winner? Can't they, for once, just not try so the rest of the people get even a chance to win?

I had randomly entered this book give-away contest on a blog. I didn't even know the person and just happened upon their blog and liked some of the books they were giving away. I figured it was worth a shot. All you had to do was write a poem about the book you wanted and then they were going to announce the winners. I entered my measly poem that I had thought of in about 5 minutes. I really didn't expect to win. However, for some reason looking at the winners it was a little disappointing to not see my name. I actually kind of wondered what it was about my poem that didn't stand out among the some 130 other poems. Was it because this person didn't know me? Did she not think my poem was "deep" enough? She is, after all, a publishing agent!!!

Here are some other venues (that I can remember) I've worked to be a winner at and the results:

-Radio contest for Third Day tickets - I WON!!

-Lots of other radio contests that I lost when I was younger

-Scratcher tickets that I got for Christmas - I think the most I got was like $5

-Volleyball games - For the most part, we lost. In fact our entire sports program at our school was not well known.

-Raffle ticket giveaways - lost them all

-Random drawing at Vail Pride Day (for work) - I won the year I was student teaching and got a gift certificate to somewhere.

It makes me think of random things such as hunting and fishing, two things of which my family members do a fair amount of. I have one uncle who does both and he is always extremely successful. However, my dad on the other hand, puts so much effort into hunting, would be the best employee if he could get paid to hunt but I can only remember him getting an animal once. I don't get it, they seem to approach the sports using the same strategies, in fact I think my dad takes more time to prepare.

Another example, this week on the news there was a couple that won the Powerball, I can't remember in which state. It was to the sum of $128 million. What kind of life will they have now because of their winnings? And what about all the losers? It seems that most stories you hear of lottery winners end up with their lives in ruin.

What's the deal with wanting to "win"? Why do we feel so disappointed when we didn't get something that we didn't have beforehand? Is it a sense of entitlement? I often wonder why people pray for their team to win, like God is worried about the winners and he can't decide who to let win. I don't join many contests because I know the odds are usually against me and I don't really like to give out my information as most contests require of you, besides then you avoid the disappointment.

I'd like to take a slightly different perspective on this situation, if it weren't for those of us who lose more often than not, those winners wouldn't be able to bask in the glory of their celebration. To all those losers out there, you make the winners look good, without you, they'd have nothing. Here's to losers!

*Disclaimer - no humans or animals were hurt emotionally or physically during this post.