Karma doesn't exist

Over the years as people have hurt my kids or I, others have tried to console me by saying, “Don’t worry, karma will get them.”  I guess the thought is that a person can get through these tough times in the knowledge that bad things will happen to that other person too and they will get paid back for what they have done.  I used to find comfort in this.  I used to fully believe that when people hurt others, they would “get what was coming to them” eventually.  

But here’s what I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older.  Karma doesn’t exist.  Some of the people who have hurt myself or my kids the most, have gotten everything they have ever wanted and are happier than you can imagine.  They are financially affluent while we count pennies.  They have possessions that we can only dream of.  They have a slew of friends and supporters that believe the lies that they post on social media and support them.  Everything seems to be going their way.  And you know what….

That’s okay too.  I refuse to live my life waiting on revenge.  Because that is how most people think of karma.  I’ve been doing a little research on karma and the true meaning behind karma is that if you do good for people, it will come back to you.  (Which, by the way, I have observed many times in my lifetime.)  It’s real intent is not that if someone hurts you, you wait around watching and hoping for life to kick them too.  Truth is that may happen, but even if it does, how will that help you?  Do you really think all your hurts, worries and concerns will go away?  They don’t.  

Here’s the truth about those people that you are waiting for karma to “serve”. 1. They are incredibly selfish.  IF life does finally deal them the swift kick in the ass they deserve, they will not be remorseful and become changed people.  More than likely it will feed their victim mentality and increase the “why do bad things happen to good people” posts.   2. They are incredibly skilled liars and the more people they can try to convince that you are all to blame for the evils in their world, the happier they will be.  If you’re living a vindictive life, trying to fight back at them and sling your own mud, you only add credibility to their accusations. Let it be.  You’re not going to convince those people anyway.  Good people know that there are two sides to every story and will reserve judgment until they hear your side.  Anyone else’s opinion isn’t worth hearing.    3.  They thrive on upsetting you and making you emotional.  You know the best way to deal with that?  Move on.  Don’t respond.  They will have to go looking elsewhere to get their supply of drama and emotional upheaval.  It doesn’t get any better than that.  

I’ve learned a lot over the last few years and one thing I know now moving forward is that life isn’t and can’t be about revenge.  The only one “hurt” by the thirst for revenge will be me.  The best thing I can do is put past hurts and even new ones, behind me.  I need to concentrate on being the best me I can be, for me.  I need to work on building myself up, learning new things and not live my life focused on wanting bad things to happen to other people.  I need to focus on my today’s and my tomorrow’s, not my yesterdays.  That’s an incredibly hard thing to do sometimes.  But something that is worth working on every single day.