Today has inspired me

[onyxdubh]

There was drama today. Not unusual for the group of people in question. But it has caused me to distil into language my philosophy on life. So I figured I'd write it up.

Comments

[pearlshadow]

what a good piece of writing.. very well done, very well expressed.

[luagha]

It's a long and fun topic

[onyxdubh]

Indeed it has been a long time. *wave* Hi, how's it going?

So, anyway, mostly what I meant by "I am not a good person" was returning to the definition in the first paragraph. I can't remember the last time I selflessly did anything just to help someone. I, honestly, think I am a damned fine person 99% of the time. But my definition of good and the generally accepted definition of good are different. Ironically, I find that individuals who define what makes a good person often fall more in line with me, and yet somehow, when we end up in a group, our collective definition changes.

[luagha]

As the excellent My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic episode 'The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well' teaches us, it's never the heroic action that's the problem. Nor is it even the acclaim one receives from it. Doing such actions only for the acclaim is a pitfall, as is being overly proud of these good actions.

The key, I think, is the word 'selflessly' and the question of whence comes the validation.

If it's you choosing to make yourself feel good for having performed the action beneficial to another, that is fine. (Although you should also be able to achieve pleasure from serving yourself! The nuns and helpers with Mother Theresa's unit, for example, have 'eating buddies' so they remember that they must also serve themselves so they can continue to serve others.)

If the validation comes only from others, that's the problem.

(Us paladins have to study these things. :) )

As for me, I have had a variety of ups and downs - medical problems down but getting better all the time, personal and professional life up!

[wolfs_daugher]

WELL done, dearheart. To my mind, your first paragraph isn't a definition of a good person however. It's the definition of a Good Person. Those capitals are important, because they tell us that normal, human, men and women will never be able to fully live up to that standard. That we, each and every one of us, fails the criteria in some way or other does not mean we are not good persons.

In my opinion, you ARE a good person, and you are getting to be more of one with every year that passes.

Deborah

[onyxdubh]

It's true, I should have capitalized the words, in retrospect. I blame being at work, and my brain being melted from dealing with this... Because that's pretty much exactly how I see it. I do know a few people who manage that lofty title, but in general I think it is in how we strive to accept and compensate for our imperfections that defines our journey to an unattainable goal, and it is the journey that is important, since the destination is unreachable.

Thank you. I can't really say much more than that, as words are, once again, insufficient. There are things in this world that were done for me that I will never be able to repay. Instead, I try to pay those kindnesses forward, and provide the same kind of teaching I was given. Without those examples, I'm afraid I wouldn't be a good person. I wouldn't even know where to start.

So, for being one of those examples, thank you.