The Stock Market isn't fair

I'm feeling a little like a mouse on one of those exercise wheels.  I keep running and running and running and when I stop I'm exactly where I started.  Part of me likes the running.  But part of me would like to get somewhere.

For example, let's take the stock market.  For over twenty years now I've been self-employed and every year I'd make my contribution to my Self Employment Pension - IRA (SEP-IRA). What a grind...at the end of every year all the "extra" cash I was able to pile up went either into paying taxes or being part of my SEP contribution.

For many years things grew steadily.  My little nest egg got bigger and bigger, slowly for sure but it did grow.  

Now with the state of the Stock Market, things look like they are going the other way.  Where is all that growth going?  Who has got the money now?  I sure don't know.  

My mother told me that life is not fair.  And, it seems she was right!