Is life fair?

This Sunday I had been to a Buddhism discussion meeting in my neighborhood, where participants were supposed to discuss and share their experiences while imbibing Buddhist philosophy. I have been somewhat regular with these meetings off late and this time I too shared my experience, which was well received by those present. Rest of the crowd was also coming up with their own take on life and recent experiences, wherein one member was repeatedly cribbing about his life, even comparing it to hell. Upon coming back to my apartment building, I saw him again in the lift and was surprised to learn he lived in my building only. He then invited me to his apartment, which was two floors below mine, and recounted story of his life. He had changed professions and maybe ambitions often, inspite of a good ability was languishing in his job, he lived reclusively alone and seemed to lack contentment anywhere. Well there were many things I shared with this guy, to start with we were from same college, similar backgrounds, aspirations for Civil Services and wasting of time with it, change in careers, only thing he was married and ten years elder but his wife lived abroad. I must have been in his flat for a short while only, but the despair in his life, heightened by irregular career and lacuna of a family life, was all too visible. His place was not bad by any counts, infact well kept for a single guy and he too appeared decent by all counts, but his current lackluster life was indeed pitiable

Even after living his flat I kept wondering about him, I had never seen this guy before though had crossed his flat many times which was mostly locked. During evening walks these days I make a special note of his apartment, which is always blacked out; I know many occupants of my building but this person was never noticed and going by his rant in the Buddhist meeting, his present life condition was indeed unenviable

Going by few similarities in our lives I too can land in his shoes someday but what bothers me is not the fear of it rather do I, or for that matter anyone, deserve this? I know we all get in life what we deserve and not what we desire, but then can life get so iniquitous? As I am about to embark on a new and major chapter of my life, my Muscat Visa should come through in few days, I often ask myself

Is life fair?