Thursday, August 05, 2010

Do Unto Others

I'm a big believer in treating people well.

But I've come to accept a key fact about life: people are probably never going to treat me as well as I treat them.

I have a generous and sensitive heart. Where I have shortcomings of financial generosity, I compensate tenfold with loving arms, open ears and an opinion that is rarely clouded with unreasonable judgment.

"Treat people as you'd like to be treated," was a popular theme this weekend.

Both in my personal relationships, and in general human decency.

My heart was heavy Sunday morning, and I surmised a bike ride would be the best way to improve my disposition. But, it was not meant to be.

Someone stole my rear bike wheel. Tire and all.

My cheeks were already salty from a morning of weeping (thanks to a sappy movie and sadness over a personal relationship), and so the flood gates flew open and the tears washed over me as I stood in my supposedly secure courtyard.

My brain dashed through a thousand thoughts. "Who would do such a thing?" I exclaimed as I surveyed the border of fences and building walls enclosing the green space.

Those thoughts trailed off to a vision of myself riding my bike, the wind blowing through my hair as the wheels rolled over the pavement.

It's a feeling I first fell in love with as a little girl, atop the seat of my first two-wheeler. A blue Schwinn that my parents still have to this day.

Do unto others. It's such a basic principle, and yet so many of us have swiftly forgotten how vital this basic premise is to maintain a peaceful society.

It's an ideology that is essential to even our closest relationships.

Looking back on some of my connections - both romantic and those of a friendly nature - I feel that sometimes I've come out on the short end of the stick. I don't know that there's any way to avoid that; some of us are givers, others are takers.

I'm okay with that.

It just hurts a teensy weensy bit when I feel like I can't rely on a friend to mirror the way I'm there for them.

And that's when I start broadening my social circle, looking for new connections and brighter opportunities.

Creative Commons License
Kate's Random Musings by Kate the Great is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am the same way, or at least I try to be. I actually have a neighbor right now that after 7 years of being "friends" something petty has caused a big "war". It definitely makes me feel better to treat others like amazing friends that I would do anything for!

I am so sorry to hear about your bike. That sucks! Some kids actually stole my son's bike from him while he was on it!!!!! He came home crying. My husband found it while he was riding around looking crazy enough. Have you been able to get another tire?

Tamia said...

Grr...my bike was stolen about a month ago. I walked the streets looking to bash the culprit in the head w/the bike lock (which was still attached--locked--to the pole) before I realized it wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things. I know I'm not always as considerate as I could/should be, and though I don't think I'd ever steal someone else's property, I try to give people who "done me wrong" the benefit of the doubt. I figure if I'm not perfect, maybe they're not either.

Tamia
TheStyleSample

Cheryl said...

Awww, I sure hope today is a better day. Yes it is unfortunate that we don't all play by the same rules.
Reminds me of a conversation I had with my son this morning, when he was feeling very "wronged" by someone. I don't know where this came from, but I said "you just remember kiddo, heaven is going to be made extra wonderful for those who've had a more difficult time on earth" (Yeah deep, I know...)
Well to that he responds, "wow, you're sure gonna have it good up there" Yep, totally validated my thoughts!