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Doing the right thing when you are reluctant
I love it when I do the right thing. I don’t always know the right thing to do, and even when I do, I don’t always do it. Especially if I’m tired. Especially if it interrupts my plans.
But most especially, I hate it when I know that doing the right thing isn’t going to result in anything good for me. Yet, in the end, I do feel good about doing it. Am I the only one, or are there others out there in blog land that are as conflicted as I am at times?
But today, I did do the right thing. An elderly person I know is, as we often say, “going downhill.” To her, it seems very much an “uphill” battle. Her vitality is gone. It’s as though someone or something has taken over her spirit. She’s existing, but she’s not living. She’s lost interest. She suffers from depression and solely relies on medication to make her better. She has never done the hard work required to look at herself and her complicity in her depression, and she’s unlikely to try now.
Living with unfulfilled dreams
She’s from a different era when people didn’t examine their lives and people didn’t talk about their feelings. Back then, people let their wounds fester unattended. They believed everything their doctor said. Never questioned. They lived their lives in bondage to what other people thought, never daring to take a chance. Never daring to be who they really wanted to be. Do what they really wanted to do. She never shared her struggles with anyone, ever.
Airing one’s dirty linen on a public clothesline was taboo but actually having the dirty linen wasn’t, as long as it was secret. So many secrets that choked her life.
So if she’s how she is today, is it any surprise? One cannot live a lifetime of unfulfilled dreams, dashed hopes, and of being so out of touch with themselves and tackling old age with grace. It’s even hard enough for those who have. So those of us who are aware of their inability to find grace for themselves have to do our best to “grace” them however we can. Today I tried to do the right thing and grace her. I don’t know if it was enough. I never know if it’s enough.
There is a saying I remind myself of often.
Do as much good as you can,
To as many people as you can,
For as long as you can,
For as long as you can,
In any way that you can.
Doing the right thing isn’t that hard if you follow the saying above. Just do good. Just love. It is the first and greatest commandment. And if we love authentically, we will do the right thing.
Is there anyone you need to do the right thing by today? No matter how inconvenient, no matter how little you might be rewarded?
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God bless, and have a great day.
