I want to be good. Whatever that means. (quit smoking, exercise, stop)

[IzBack97]

Good. Not corny. Just good in a way that takes into account the fact that some people want "bad"...

You know? It's hard to do in this world. We can't make everyone happy. But I just want to "try" again..

Because I used to, and it was working. Things were coming back to me, as 'karma' sais.. And it was mostly good karma. But I gave in.. the world got to me. It reaped its ugly head. People felt ugly to me. Ugly on the inside. I retreated, and stopped doing "good".

I saw too many injustices, of the "small kind". People taking credit, people not acknowledging something that was just .. 'better', and sometimes best is not best. You have to take all things into consideration. It's subjective. It's about taste. One's gold is another's trash. But sometimes, it's just about paying respect to someone, and sometimes you cheat. It can be done with less harm to most people, if not zero harm to every person..

It's too hard being perfect. I'm going to stop trying to be. Whatever that means. Just... have a great day! Hope all is well. Take care everyone. Blah.... laugh.. cry.. TRY TRY TRY

[todd00]

“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man". ~ Mark Twain

Try helping the stray animals, they appreciate it without any agendas. Perhaps you can find a no kill shelter or rescue that you could work with. From my experience, the above quote is true. Man's inhumanity to man is still extreme and I can't see that ever changing. And Man's inhumanity to animals is also awful. Funny that in highly publicized sad cases there will be an outpouring of donations and support, yet the old or sick person sitting alone with no one, people wouldn't think to offer to go out of their way to help in some way. It's hard not to feel cynical today, I certainly do. The most vile rule this world. All one can do is be a good person, try to do the right thing, treat people like ya would hope to be treated. I don't believe in Karma, at least not here. Too many horrible things happen to good people to buy that one. Good luck to ya.

[Billy_J]

I quit smoking and started walking my dogs around the neighborhood a few years ago - good exercise and the dogs love it. But I noticed trash here and there along the way. A candy wrapper here, a beer can there, etc. I didn't care to look at it everyday....

Anyway I was bringing along plastic store bags to pick up my dog's poop, so I decided I would pick a couple of trash items each day too and dispose of them. After about a week of doing this, my neighborhood looked as spotless as Disneyland! Not a candy wrapper to be found anywhere.

Also if kids were walking by when I was picking up a piece of trash, I would say hi to them and point out that we had a "LITTERBUG" in the neighborhood! (I knew it was them ). Then I might mention how nice it looks without trash all around, etc. Then let them pet the dog if they wanted. Be friendly toward them - they are good kids once you point them in the right direction.

A few years later, other people are now either not littering or also picking up trash and best of all, the kids have stopped or drastically reduced their littering!

And I get to go for walks in a nice clean neighborhood. No big accomplishment, but it brings me pleasure each day to see a nice clean neighborhood - before I was disgusted everyday looking at the trash. So it makes each day a little nicer for me and other people walking in our neighborhood.

It is "little things", such as this, which bring pleasure to my life.

[newcomputer]

Originally Posted by Billy_J

It is "little things", such as this, which bring pleasure to my life.

and to the lives of the people around you.

OP, being good in the hope that good will come to you defeats the purpose. You are not investing in the stock market. Live the best life you can because, as you said, it worked for you....."it was working".

I have to tell myself most everyday that I mean to be a better person. Sometimes I am not, and I have to back up, apologize, do over, whatever. The point is to move forward and do the best you can without expecting any reward.

You do not have to correct the mistakes of others. I find that keeping myself in line is a full time job

If you and I succeed, that is two more people on the "good" side, and that's a good start.