I wish you frequent loneliness,

so that you won't take the company of friends for granted.

I wish you to be treated unfairly by fate,

for only then will you truly understand the weight of justice's value.

I wish you to taste betrayal,

for it will teach you how precious loyalty is.

I wish your luck to be occasionally poor,

so that you can see clearly the role opportunity plays in life,

understand that success is not entirely due to luck,

and realize that others' failures are not necessarily deserved.

When you fail,

I even wish for you to be treated with schadenfreude by your rivals,

for you will then understand what constitutes graceful competition.

I also hope you are overlooked,

so that you learn to listen to others.

I hope you have felt deep, personal pain,

so that you can hold genuine sympathy for the suffering of others.

Finally,

whether you like it or not,

these misfortunes will inevitably occur in your life sooner or later.

The greatest difference between you and others

lies in whether you can grasp the lessons these experiences intend to teach you.

This directly determines whether you are crushed by them,

or become stronger because of them.

John Roberts