My brother and I have a diligent disposition yet have wildly different personalities. We were both raised by white-collar parents and went on to have good jobs. I married Mark, a skilled electrician with a booming business, but my brother, Jack, refused to accept that I married an electrician. His sarcastic words often irritated me, but karma intervened before I could.
Our parents, Tom and Linda, were hardworking and accomplished, and they raised us with a strong work ethic. My brother, a lawyer, enjoyed showing off his wealth but lacked the motivation to start his own practice. He preferred to retain his affluent lifestyle, which included fine suits, a Porsche, and an ever-changing fiancée.
In contrast, Mark and I live a modest lifestyle despite his thriving business. Jack was unaware that Mark had also attended business school, transforming his trade into a profitable enterprise. Mark’s humility and kindness, particularly while surprise our parents with an all-expenses-paid cruise, exemplified his character.
Jack’s hubris reached its height on Mother’s Day, when he mocked Mark for being an electrician. Karma struck during a family barbecue, when Jack’s Porsche was repossessed. He admitted that he had lost his job after a high-profile case went wrong, leaving him unemployed and in debt.
Mark saw his vulnerability and gave him a job. Humbled, Jack accepted, understanding the value of honest effort and evolving into a more thankful, modest individual.
