I was talking to a friend today and the question came up "why is it that rather than just do nice things that make the world better, people tend to do nasty ill-thought things that only make trouble?"

My take, cause we are all human. Rather than think and act with intent, often we let our emotions get the better of us and react to outside stimulus rather than initiate actions that are in keeping with our desires and morals.

But the line between logical and calculating can be a very thin one, I think of 'calculating' as being when we come up with reasons to justify an action, where as being logical is being truthful both about what we desire to be the case and what the real outcome of our actions will be.

Believing this, I also am always aware that I can and often are - wrong. Disconcerting, usually is it a combination of correct partly, but having an assumption in there that is false and so messing up the whole thing.

Here is an old example, a friend lets me down. She does it in a way that is in keeping with let us say, her more obvious faults. In this case; agreeing to do something in exchange for something else, and then when her turn comes, not keeping her part of the bargain. Not such a good friend, but the problem comes when trying to understand the 'why' of it. Knowing someone else's perspective is difficult at best, but I do know that no one ever casts themselves in the role of 'bad guy' everyone thinks (at least at the time) that they are right.

So, where does one go from here? Do you try to seek out the person and give them the other cheek to strike? Or perhaps better to take the lesson and move on? The sad thing in this case is I had been warned not to trust this person, by many people in my community, and I had seen her behave badly, but wanted her to be the nice person I hoped she was, in this case, a person of advanced years that many people warned me off . . . well perhaps I ought to listened to the majority.

It was a lesson in letting people be who they are, and not doing them the disservice to want them otherwise no matter how much one may think they are lacking . . . if you expect someone to act as they do, well they don't disappoint do they?

In taking this lesson and acting accordingly, I have not gone to the same old events - that were by all reports rather limp, and have instead spent my time and money on new events and had a MUCH better time than I have had in years. In fact I have spent more time getting PAID and less PAYING for my fun!
So, spring cleaning, keep that which pleases, and throw out the old worn-out stuff!