What Does it Take to Be a "Good" Person?

So here we are, at the start of a fresh new month! I always like the month of June because it represented the beginning of summer, and as a kid it also meant that school would soon be out for holidays!

Be Good!

A friend of ours was visiting a few days ago, and one of her parting remarks was "be good!" as she was leaving. It's an expression that used to be fairly common... but I hadn't heard it in quite a while.

Earlier — as I was sitting in my home office, reflecting on all the things I need to get done this month — I started thinking about what actually constitutes a "good" person.

I think most of us would like to think that we are good people, but what are we really talking about, here?

I'd submit that one of the things I've been aware of for a really long time is that being a good person is not the same as being a nice person.

Not so long ago, we watched the movie "A Man Named Otto," and Otto was clearly a very good person although most people would likely not think of him as very nice, at least not until you go to know him a bit,

Being "good" — at least to my way of thinking — has a lot to do with your integrity and sense of ethics; how you conducts yourself in the world. Someone who stands by their word, and who always chooses to do "the right thing," even when it is a struggle.

Conversely, I have met plenty of "nice" people who were a lot of fun to be around, but they were also complete flakes if you were actually in a situation where you had to depend on them. That actually describes a fair number of my friends when I was at University!

But I digress.

Being a "good" person is actually more challenging in our modern world where everyone always seems to be in such a hurry. Being conscious and conscientious can actually be fairly time consuming... and a lot of folks just don't have the time for that... even if they are well-meaning.

I'd like to think I am a good person... or, at least, I aspire to be a good person. But it's ultimately not for me to decide... it's for those around me.

But I will always keep trying to do better!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great Friday!

How about you? Do you think you're a good person? Are you a nice person? Do you think the two are the same, or similar... or different? Do leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2023.06.02 00:40 PST
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