Loving and Trusting People

A few days ago, i saw another classic example that will inspire me to keep on looking for the good in every person i met. Yes, someone sent me a powerpoint presentation of how the earthquake in China have devastated a lot of properties amounting to billions in infrastructure and material equipments.

The dead and wounded abound and caused a lot of grief. But that terrible disaster, as huge as its damages, did not manage to devastate the goodness of the Chinese people. While reading and seeing through the pictures my tears begun to drop so that i chose not finish the whole presentation for fear of having my new officemates see me cry. However, I did see enough to say that people can always choose to be good despite and maybe because of disaster.

A lot of things where scattered around the affected areas, and yet, as reported, there were no incidents of looting. The Chinese people chose to be kind and helpful during the times when they themselves need help. Volunteers run to the affected areas and blood donations flooded without much prodding.

Stories of this sort strengthened my resolve to view all people as innately good. Thus considering them trustworthy first and foremost--unless to they will prove to be otherwise--is still the best i can do.
Yeah, evil abound in the world, and i will get hurt and wounded most often than not... but i'd rather get hurt knowing that in my dealings with people i have come to them with a pure heart... no preconceived notions and biases... and no hidden agendas.

This way i am sure that everyone started on equal footing, regardless of appearances. If somebody chooses to hurt me whether maliciously or out of circumstance, then so be it. After all, i always believe that justice will be served... in whichever way that we most need to learn.

Cliche as it sound but i'd rather err on the side of compassion and enjoy the company of people than keep myself safe inside the walls of mistrust that will shield me from experiencing deeply the goodness of others.

With me, people always start on the notion that they are dignified and trustworthy beings. In my book love should always be free flowing, like the coffee and water that we included in the menu package for our training next week.

Ahhhhh People.

Right now i dont know what to think.
A lot of things are running into my head and my chest felt like bursting, like somethings been inside it that just needed to be aired out. The problem is my thoughts are in jumble.

Once a teacher had said to me that "people are just people, behaving in a manner they are made to behave." But who and what made us behave like we do? Isn't it us that have the exlusive responsibility of our actions? So why blame it on someone or something?

And why do people behave the way they do?

I always believe in the goodness of every human being. As a rule, people are good unless they've proven otherwise. I also remembered a friend cautions me into readily trusting people. For him, people are bad and cannot be trusted unless they have proven to him their trustworthiness.

A huge contradiction, eh?
But that's how people are. Some are so trusting that they are usually being just taken for a ride by the malicious few who just feels right into taking advantage of thier trusting nature. But this kind of people though frequently hurt, have a lot more chance at becoming happy with a lot of people than those who shelter themselves from others.

But who am i to be judge and jury of how other people conduct their life. If they choose to be weary of strangers and be safe then it's really up to them. Their happiness depends on doing what they think is right and what is comfortable for them and not on my over simplistic if a bit idealistic views.

In the same way, i will continue to believe that people are innately good. If some will not come as noble as i think, then i will be hurt, yes. But at least, i have let other people start with all the trust and respect that is due to every human being.

The Devil

The devil is there.
It surrounds you. It hounds you.
If you give him an inch, it will take a mile.
Give him a toe, it gobbles you up whole.
The devil is there.
Beware.