Think of someone you know that seems like light incarnate. Always positive, always kind to others. They are the friend you go to when you are feeling down or when you need a favor. Their hand is always extended to people in need. Their very existence makes you feel like there is endless hope in the world.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
No one is perfect. One of the biggest struggles of being human is trying to be a good one. We want to help others and be the best person we can be to everyone we meet, but selfish desires and reasonable human flaws get in the way.
When I was little, I always pestered my older cousins to play with me during family get-togethers. I would get disappointed when they ignored me, bringing forth feelings of loneliness. It’s part of the reason why I became so independent. I felt like I could not rely on other people. Now that I’m older, I’m constantly avoiding the requests of my younger cousins so that I can listen in on the adult conversations and family drama. I feel a great deal of guilt when this happens because I know exactly how they feel. I want to be for them what I wanted in an older cousin. I want to be the reason that they believed people are good and kind and reliable. But I keep falling short.
They say that only good people take the time to question whether they are good. I hope that this is true. When I am not actively doing good for others, I question whether I am living up to this quote to the best of my abilities. I want to be the person that seems approachable. I want my friends to always be able to come to me for help.
I want to be the light.
We are constantly flooded with news of all the bad things people are capable of. If we want others to remember that people can be good, we must work to be that good in the world. Every day, I try to think of how I can give others happiness and hope while also bringing those things to myself. We cannot be good to others if we do not try to be good to ourselves.
If I want others to believe in the goodness of people, I have to believe in the goodness in myself.
I really like your approach to this blog topic. You discuss ideals while also recognizing and elaborating on how these ideals are not always attainable. This was really interesting to read. I liked the annecdote!
I like how you talk about what the quote means to you and how it applies to your life both in your childhood and in the present day.