good and bad. at the same time.

Okay, so, I've been thinking a lot about this, lately. The whole good vs. bad thing. Are people more inherently good or more disposed to being bad? This is what I came up with. And, please keep in mind, this is strictly a Beth philosophy. It's what works for me and the way I live my life.

image from moddb.com

I have concluded, after 31 years of life, that we are both good AND bad. (Wow, now that is an original take, huh?) From birth, we have it in us to lean either way, more bad or more good. This tendency depends on many factors.

Above all else, I am convinced it has to do with how you were raised. I would say, 9 times out of 10, if you were raised to feel safe, secure, loved, and in a clean, warm, nurturing environment, one in which you were able to express yourself while still maintaining respect for your parent(s), who always were emotionally present and available, you probably tip more to the 'good' side of the scale. This idea can best be articulated like this, your folks weren't your friend, but your parent. They were not your equal, but your superior. Shocking, I know, but that, after all, is what a parent/child relationship should be. You know they loved you because you felt it through their actions. They didn't just tell you when they tucked you in, but they lived it. You were disciplined, you had expectations placed on you, yet, you knew if they weren't always met, it would be okay. No one is perfect. You learned that universal truth early on, and were able to apply it to others, and their lives, learning a very important lesson on empathy. We are all different, we all have a story. We don't all have to be best friends, but acceptance is key.

Neglect, hate, prejudices, jealousy, stress, anxiety, extreme intolerance, cluttered minds & homes, lack of humility...it all breeds a certain level of insanity. Insanity on any level can lead to all kinds of nastiness.

That being said, even if you dealt with any of the aforementioned 'nasty' factors while growing up, doesn't mean that you don't have good in you. Or vice versa. There is a point in all of our lives that adulthood kicks in (or, at least, SHOULD kick in), and you are left with a decision to make. You can chalk up all of the bad stuff and not be a victim, or you can continue down the path of despair with an overly deserving attitude. Change your mind, and you change your life. Difficult situations, often times, have simple answers.

The bottom line is this. Honest to goodness kind of folk still can, on occasion, do bad things, act with lack of good judgement, and bad people have the ability to change and act in ways that might surprise you. We are all just cogs in the wheel. We all start out on an even playing field. Just cogs in the wheel, my friends.

I will leave you with, yet another wonderful quote. (Listen, quotes have been getting me through the summer.):

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." -Mark Twain.

Sorry, for the rambling,

it's been a loooooong summer.