I listened to a conversation my mom had with a friend. My mom is ninety years old and living a most simple life at this point. The friend relayed her woes to my mom--woes that would define privilege to most people. Yet, as I analyzed those words, I detected a victim mentality.
My mom's friend, though privileged, had experienced a number of oppressive, troubling experiences in life. These life events challenged the natural goodness and care this person repeatedly exemplified. This friend is a good person who has done countless quiet acts of incredible kindness throughout her life. This friend has also endured tremendous hardship along with her privilege.
Sometimes when we play the victim, we may recount stories that really don't reveal the true reason why we feel like a victim. We may do that because we haven't delved deep enough into our experiences or souls to truly understand the experiences in life when we truly were victims of oppression great and small.
Some might say that my mom's friend has no place playing the victim given her extraordinary privilege, but I get it. We have to be sensitive to the many paths life takes. Privilege in one area may be accompanied by neglect in another. Every person's story is different. As I heard a wise speaker say once, "Seek the story in the stranger." Those are powerful words that bring strength and power to our lives.