What did you learn during the past year?
Here are some things that I learned last year:
People are full of surprises. Sometimes even someone you've known for years can turn out to be someone totally different from the person you thought they were.
Blood isn't always thicker than water. Sometimes those who are supposed to love us the most - our own family members - can turn out to be our worst enemies.
Being religious doesn't necessarily make you a good person. Some very religious people seem to think that certain rules don't apply to them. And, of course, you don't have be religious or even believe in God to be a good person. You do need to have a good moral compass, however. Of course, that is not to say that there aren't many religious people who genuinely good people. I know that there are.
Even the capacity for empathy won't necessarily make you a good person. The nastiest, most sadistic people are keenly aware of the feelings of others and really do care about what their victims are going through - just not in a good way.
The most disturbing reality that we have to face is not that pure evil exists, but that good and evil can, and do, exist side by side in the same person. I know. I've seen it.
It sounds nice to say "follow your heart", but sometimes the heart cries out for things that may not be good for us, or things that aren't even real. We need to use our heads. I have a very good mind, and I need to use it.
I am not qualified to help someone who is suicidal. I can try to give someone encouragement and hope, and show them lots of love, but they may still get to a place where I can't reach them anymore.
2017 was a strange year for me. I found out just what people are capable of, including myself, and I must say it scares me.
But when all these cold realities slap us in the face, we must always remember that there is love in the world, there are people who genuinely care about us, and we must hold onto those relationships and continue to nurture them. I need to get back in touch with some friends I haven't contacted in a long time. I hope they still want to hear from me.
So what did you learn this past year?
People are full of surprises. Sometimes even someone you've known for years can turn out to be someone totally different from the person you thought they were.
Blood isn't always thicker than water. Sometimes those who are supposed to love us the most - our own family members - can turn out to be our worst enemies.
Being religious doesn't necessarily make you a good person. Some very religious people seem to think that certain rules don't apply to them. And, of course, you don't have be religious or even believe in God to be a good person. You do need to have a good moral compass, however. Of course, that is not to say that there aren't many religious people who genuinely good people. I know that there are.
Even the capacity for empathy won't necessarily make you a good person. The nastiest, most sadistic people are keenly aware of the feelings of others and really do care about what their victims are going through - just not in a good way.
The most disturbing reality that we have to face is not that pure evil exists, but that good and evil can, and do, exist side by side in the same person. I know. I've seen it.
It sounds nice to say "follow your heart", but sometimes the heart cries out for things that may not be good for us, or things that aren't even real. We need to use our heads. I have a very good mind, and I need to use it.
I am not qualified to help someone who is suicidal. I can try to give someone encouragement and hope, and show them lots of love, but they may still get to a place where I can't reach them anymore.
2017 was a strange year for me. I found out just what people are capable of, including myself, and I must say it scares me.
But when all these cold realities slap us in the face, we must always remember that there is love in the world, there are people who genuinely care about us, and we must hold onto those relationships and continue to nurture them. I need to get back in touch with some friends I haven't contacted in a long time. I hope they still want to hear from me.
So what did you learn this past year?
51-55, F
