Do Unto Others

Everyone knows how 'Do unto others' continues, right? Isn't it called the golden rule with good reason? Is it so difficult to understand and follow? Apparently so! Two different incidents have happened recently to make me believe that so many have forgotten the valuable lessons they were taught as children. I've chosen a secret from Post Secret to begin with because one: I haven't posted one for a while and two: this isn't what I walk down the street thinking, although this is exactly what happened.

This past Thursday I went to one of my classes that I have with two brothers (separately, of course),which is about a couple of minutes' walk from where I live - they live just around the corner. When I got there, I realised I'd forgotten my glasses. I don't usually wear glasses in the street but I need them for reading and doing housework even. The fact that I don't wear them in the street perhaps accounts for the fact that I don't always see people I know, but I am wandering. I had no choice but to give the student an introductory text to read and go back to get my glasses, which should have taken 5 minutes at the most. On the way back to the class, I saw two men fall in the street. At first I thought they were probably drunk because this is still bullfighting season. I was intent on getting back to my class and remember I wasn't wearing glasses. No, they were two elderly men, one who had managed to get up by the time I reached them - the other one obviously couldn't. This isn't a street with a lot of pedestrian traffic. I stopped and asked them if they were alright. While I was talking to them, a man passed by us without looking. This is a narrow street too and he had to make an effort to get past us as we were blocking most of the street. I was wondering what to do when a couple of teenaged girls appeared and they stopped and asked if we needed help. It turns out one of them was a student of mine when I worked in the institute. I really couldn't help to get the old man on his feet. At the same time I couldn't just pass them like that other man had done. Could you? I hope not.

The second incident has to do with online bullying. One of my friends here is very upset because someone on her contact list has made some nasty comments on one of her friends' page. You know as well as I do that we all have problems, sometimes we're upset, hurting or whatever. Most of us use our site here to keep in touch with family, friends and people that we've met online and who we enjoy having contact with. So what if I don't agree with what someone is saying? Does that give me the right to say horrible things to them? Would I do that to them if I knew them personally? Again, I hope not. We need to remember that we're all a part of this great universe and that no one is the centre of it, and everyone is held responsible for their actions one way or the other. Capiche?

Post Secret just gets better and better and again I got an even number on the visitor counter: 240,639,040. Not only can you make friends on social networks, but you can find someone's telephone number in a Post Secret book and arrange to meet him or her - I'm not sure about that. There was at least one very sad one about a person who met her dad for the first time at the age of 19 and gave him a copy of all her favourite songs and a letter, which he returned unopened. The golden rule, you all!

Hope everybody has a good week and sure hope I don't lose any of my contacts because they don't like the new Multiply. I know I was quick to say the calendar was missing. It's not, as several people have told me. If you have any problems, just ask. There are lots of knowledgeable, nice people on here.

P.S. I'm going to be an aunt again!