Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right
"You can't make something right by doing something wrong." - Anonymous
How many times in our lives are we able to rationalize to ourselves that something we know for a fact is the wrong thing to do, is okay because we are doing it for the right reasons? This is not true just for addicts, it is true for all society. The way I see it in my life it is something that I justify by saying "I don't want to hurt the other person" when in fact it is my own hide that I am protecting. Any number of events that have happened in my life can be traced back to this kind of thinking. The event that sticks out the most for me however, was the time that suicide became the only legitimate solution for me, in an attempt to help my family.
While suicide tends to be prevalent among people suffering with an addiction, it is also very common among those suffering from various degrees of depression. In fact it is usually during a state of depression that an addict pursues this type of so called "cure for their problem". There have been many times that during my discussions with people about suicide, I have referred to suicide as a cowardly act. In fact after spending three hours that night sitting by the side of that pond, with one foot on the gas pedal and the other foot on the brake pedal, I eventually considered my attempt as a cowardly act. Thinking today, about the type of mindset that you are in at the time, I don't believe I should be making that determination. You convince yourself that this is the best action for everyone concerned and because of your state of mind it is very difficult to entertain any other options. The greater question for me today is, why? Why do so many people have such a varying degree of appreciation for their own life, and a greater or lessor appreciation for the lives of others?
In my job, I have the privilege of driving every conceivable type of person there is living in our world today. People who are happy, sad, depressed, angry, ignorant, kind, thoughtful, selfish, aloof, sick, tired, worried, anxious, distraught, expectant, nervous, disappointed, cheap, ruthless, evil, peaceful, thankful, etc. etc. One gentleman that I drove the other day, in his mid-forties, having dialysis three times a week, told me "I pray to die". Another gentleman who has a son battling cancer, told me "It could be worse" referencing what the Churchill family has had to go through. Another young man angry with the world about something or other, called me "A f''king idiot" because I wouldn't accept five dollars for a nine dollar fare. Still another young lady tipped me two dollars because she said "I really enjoyed this ride, you made me feel better about this exam I am about to write".
Thousands of people, each with their own individual appreciation for life, not only their own, but yours and mine as well. Like me, most are not thinking in terms of right or wrong, but in terms of how we see our own life in relationship to everyone else. We are so busy, that we fail to see the beginning and the end. We fail to see that the second we are born, we begin to die. We fail to comprehend that a predetermined time has been set, and every second, every minute, every hour and every day that we waste, is time we cannot retrieve. That is why a wrong can never make anything right. There is only the right way. No matter how much you rationalize, no matter how determined you are to try and make it the right way, there is only one right way. There is only one way to treat yourself, the people you love, and society in general. Treat everyone with an appreciation for their time, their feelings, and their thoughts. For it is the inner side of man that few of us will ever get to see. Judge not, that which is unknown to you.
How many times in our lives are we able to rationalize to ourselves that something we know for a fact is the wrong thing to do, is okay because we are doing it for the right reasons? This is not true just for addicts, it is true for all society. The way I see it in my life it is something that I justify by saying "I don't want to hurt the other person" when in fact it is my own hide that I am protecting. Any number of events that have happened in my life can be traced back to this kind of thinking. The event that sticks out the most for me however, was the time that suicide became the only legitimate solution for me, in an attempt to help my family.
While suicide tends to be prevalent among people suffering with an addiction, it is also very common among those suffering from various degrees of depression. In fact it is usually during a state of depression that an addict pursues this type of so called "cure for their problem". There have been many times that during my discussions with people about suicide, I have referred to suicide as a cowardly act. In fact after spending three hours that night sitting by the side of that pond, with one foot on the gas pedal and the other foot on the brake pedal, I eventually considered my attempt as a cowardly act. Thinking today, about the type of mindset that you are in at the time, I don't believe I should be making that determination. You convince yourself that this is the best action for everyone concerned and because of your state of mind it is very difficult to entertain any other options. The greater question for me today is, why? Why do so many people have such a varying degree of appreciation for their own life, and a greater or lessor appreciation for the lives of others?
In my job, I have the privilege of driving every conceivable type of person there is living in our world today. People who are happy, sad, depressed, angry, ignorant, kind, thoughtful, selfish, aloof, sick, tired, worried, anxious, distraught, expectant, nervous, disappointed, cheap, ruthless, evil, peaceful, thankful, etc. etc. One gentleman that I drove the other day, in his mid-forties, having dialysis three times a week, told me "I pray to die". Another gentleman who has a son battling cancer, told me "It could be worse" referencing what the Churchill family has had to go through. Another young man angry with the world about something or other, called me "A f''king idiot" because I wouldn't accept five dollars for a nine dollar fare. Still another young lady tipped me two dollars because she said "I really enjoyed this ride, you made me feel better about this exam I am about to write".
Thousands of people, each with their own individual appreciation for life, not only their own, but yours and mine as well. Like me, most are not thinking in terms of right or wrong, but in terms of how we see our own life in relationship to everyone else. We are so busy, that we fail to see the beginning and the end. We fail to see that the second we are born, we begin to die. We fail to comprehend that a predetermined time has been set, and every second, every minute, every hour and every day that we waste, is time we cannot retrieve. That is why a wrong can never make anything right. There is only the right way. No matter how much you rationalize, no matter how determined you are to try and make it the right way, there is only one right way. There is only one way to treat yourself, the people you love, and society in general. Treat everyone with an appreciation for their time, their feelings, and their thoughts. For it is the inner side of man that few of us will ever get to see. Judge not, that which is unknown to you.
posted by Taximan at 9:25 AM
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