50/50

Someone once said, ~Life is like a box of cracker jacks. Rip it open. Determine to work hard in order to get the prize inside. You know it's there.~ If you think about it, life can most definitely be like a box of cracker jacks because we're all given the opportunity to rip open each day what it offers within when we wake up in the morning. Of course, there may not even be any prize in store whatsoever to begin with but it's how life is at times as we go about our daily lives with either a pessimistic or optimistic attitude. Granted, one may not know what the proverbial prize inside whatever it may be and that is what makes it so interesting because it can certainly be a complete surprise indeed for any one of us each time our eyes open.

Let me ask you this question to those who have eaten a box of cracker jacks, what was your favorite flavor? Personally speaking, I still enjoy the original caramel coated popcorn and peanuts, which is possibly what everyone else enjoys as well. True, there are other flavors also such as marshmallow crunch, cheddar bbq, salted caramel, peanut butter and chocolate, etc. Thinking about it further, when it comes to the different flavors of cracker jacks to choose from we're also given the choice in the friends we hang out with who are of every different flavor, so to speak. Hey, what it primarily comes down to is a matter of taste as what we enjoy about our friends may in all intents and purposes end up leaving a bad taste in the mouth of others.

As I said before, there may be times when opening a box of cracker jacks you find yourself coming up empty handed in the prize department. How would/did you feel not finding a prize inside? I think it would be safe to say we all would feel/have felt jipped and disappointed fully expecting to not only hold it in our hands, but partake in the cheaply manufactured prize held within. In a sense, it's that same feeling of being jipped and utter disappointment can very well crossover to one's professional career too. In other words, working hard to climb the quintessential ladder of success and striving to attain the prize of a much deserved raise or promotion. Unfortunately, one comes empty handed causing you to experience the bittersweet aftertaste so much so it sticks with you for quite some time.

For the question can be asked for any of you who grew up eating cracker jacks as a snack back in the day or still do, what was the one prize you hoped to get when you ripped open the box? If you said a one time cheapo now collectable ring that's worth a lot of money on Ebay you're correct. You see, the hope of getting a collectable ring in a small cardboard box worth money on a bidding website is similar to the hopes of many single women who anticipate one day being shown a named brand jewelry box with an expensive engagement/wedding ring. For it's the ring of the non plastic variety that comes from the guy of their dreams as he gets down on bended knee to propose. Essentially, the woman ultimately becomes the richest prize of a lifetime for a guy who is truly the luckiest man in the world.

In retrospect, the “win some-you lose some” mentality can be applied in this particular case because you never really know what you'll find or should I say come across on any given day. However, that's half the fun of it as each one of us has the capacity to view life as either a box full or broken dreams or one of endless possibilities. For the most part, one just has to tap into their inner child and let the grown adult take a back seat in order to regain the child-like viewpoint of the world each of us had growing up...but I digress. In the end, on a seemingly daily basis life is pretty much a 50/50 gamble when we open the cracker jack box of life so have fun, make the most of it with what you have, and try not to take it too seriously.