I'm not much interested in revenge. Oh, I talk big in the heat of the moment, about how sorry so-and-so will be one day, but it never builds to action. But I can understand that fleeting emotion, how sweet it is, when someone who done you wrong, or who done wrong a loved one, or something you care about - how sweet it is when they get their comeuppance.
Divine retribution, or the impact of karma, is one thing. Taking action into one's own hands - REVENGE! - is another. This is a post about managing (and improving) your luck. Actively seeking revenge is not a luck-provoking choice.
With divine retribution, karma, and pure-chance misfortune, there is seldom a personal, malice-filled, rebound effect. We deal with such lightening bolts and move on, sometimes even finding opportunity in being shot from the heavens.
Revenge, however, is malice-filled, and its rebound effect is legendary. Revenge cycles have been a part of human drama since we were cast out of Eden (or crawled out of the Ocean). I was thinking about revenge cycles in theater, but I realized as I wrote that they're a major part of many lives. Which is exactly why they are written and staged.
If you get swept up in a revenge cycle your opportunities to find and exploit good luck are greatly reduced, because there is someone or something out there thinking up ways to 'get back at you.' Dwelling on vengeful thoughts, even without action, colors our world and hinders us in grasping its lucky chances.
But be clear on this: Rejecting revenge is not the same as turning the other cheek. Sometimes we're in a fight, a battle, and we must fight to hold our own. Most of us, in any situation, can tell if we are defending ourselves or simply seeking revenge. Maybe it's those short-sighted among us who get caught up in the revenge cycles, because they can't tell the difference between defense and revenge.
But revenge is dumb, not sweet. It's hard to get lucky when you're bent on revenge.
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