Dots

 

"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get."  Matthew 7:12. The Message.

"Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery. A kindly act once in awhile isn't enough." page 97. Alcoholics Anonymous.

Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they steal from me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they gossip about me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they lie to me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're republican.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're democrat.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they don't listen to me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they don't agree with me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're Christian.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they don't believe in God.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless the are Mormon.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're illegal immigrants.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're against illegal immigration.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're homeless.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're wealthy.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're snobby.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they deny me my rights.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they voted for Obama.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're on welfare.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're planning on having an abortion.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're gay.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're atheist.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're crazy Jesus freaks.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they constantly criticize me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they take advantage of me.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're elderly.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're my boss.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're my coworker.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're cussing me out.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're police officers.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're sex offenders.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're physically abusive.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're alcoholic.
Treat others the way I want to be treated . . . unless they're politicians.

We've all heard the Golden Rule. Depending on what religion it is, it comes in all shapes and sizes but emphasizes the same general principle. But it's way easier said than done, right? 

I think the point of this age old principle is to get rid of everything after the dots. No more dots.

One of the hard things about writing spiritually injected articles is finding away to get a good word out but at the same time take my own message to heart and practice. It requires pointing the finger at myself and somehow sharing the message that there's something better - there's a better path, or way, or direction to go. 

I'm my number one critic, and my practice of the Golden Rule hardly ever stops before the dots.

Some characteristics that describe my interactions with other people on a daily basis: short tempered, intolerant, impatient, confrontational, controlling, selfish, gossiper.

But I never stop to ask myself the question, How would I want them to treat me in this situation?

I really don't want people to be short-tempered with me. Do they know who I am?
I don't want people to be impatient with me. Don't they know I'm doing the best I can?
I hate it when people are confrontational with me. Take a chill pill dude.
I can't stand it when people try to control me. I'm outta here!
One of the worst is when people gossip about me and I end up hearing what they said, and it's completely false. I can't believe they said that about me. 

And so everything's tit-for-tat. Person A does this negative thing, so person B does this negative thing, and all the while the stakes are getting higher and higher until the first person opts out. Person B wins!

I'm in the game. I'm neck deep in it. The dots are controlling me. The dots are the filter I see the world through. And I'm just as guilty as the people who I think are the worst at pointing the finger. I'm just as guilty as the people who I think have it all wrong. 

I'm gonna use one of those there's two kinds of people in the world quotes right now, so get ready . . .

There's two kinds of people in the world - the initiators and the reactionaries. 

The initiator asks the question, What can I do to make peoples' lives better today?
The reactionary asks the question, How are people gonna make my life worse today?  

I'm a long time reactionary who longs to be an initiator. It seems to be complicated and out of the way and against the fabric of my being to actually take the initiative and say and/or do loving things for people, especially at work. For some reason, there's this disconnect between what I want to do and what I actually do. 

The wiring's off. The computer's malfunctioning. 

Today, I wanna erase the dots. I need a new filter because it's overused and not doing its job. 

God help me.