instant karma; just add ______.

In the words put forth best by John Lennon; instant karma's gonna get you, gonna knock you right on the head, you better get yourself together, pretty soon you're gonna be dead.

I don’t believe in much, but I do believe in karma. What you put out there is what will eventually come back to you; good or bad. It may not necessarily be ‘instant’, but no matter how long it takes, it does come back, so watch your ass & heed the words of so many of our mothers; ‘do unto others as you would want others to do unto you. It’s the ethic of reciprocity… better known as the Golden Rule; an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, & a responsibility to ensure justice for others. Reciprocity is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights (thanks, wikipedia!). In a nutshell, it’s the concept of not sucking at life, & doing the right thing.

There is no doubt we live in a dirty, selfish world, full of people out for themselves, who will step on whoever they can to get where they want to go in this life. And yes, those people will most likely reach their destination, free & clear, but only for a short time will they enjoy it. There will always be a drawback; a price to pay… that bitch we call karma. But everyone's karma is different... we create our own. The majority of us can say (and probably don’t like to admit) that we have all done something at some point that was to the benefit of ourselves, while at the detriment of someone else. It happens. You live & you learn… but to continue that pattern is only going to destroy you in the long run. By no means am I saying live your life to solely please others… because as I said, we do indeed live in a dirty, selfish world… so make sure you are pleasing the right people, while pleasing yourself in the process because without a doubt; life is too short.

Be careful who you trust, who you share your life with… because you never know what people's motives really are. Your life is special, so not just anyone should be able to stroll right in & set up shop. Until you know you can really trust someone, it's ok to guard your heart, build walls, & keep your GLOVES UP. It might not be the best way to live, but in this world & in my opinion, it’s the only way to live. It’s not fun getting burned… the recovery is long & painful; nothing I ever want to live through again, or would want to see anyone I love have to face. But it’s those times that we are able to see clearly, who is meant to be in our lives & who can just fade away. It’s the people who will walk through the fire with you that you know you can trust.

I always lived my life giving people the benefit of the doubt… thinking that there was good to be seen in everyone. Which yes… 9 times out of 10 there is… but now, I can wait to see the good… I look for the bad first. Weed those suckers out right away. I always thought that I was good at reading people; good at seeing through the bullshit. And for the most part, I was. But there are always those one or two sneak attacks that fly right beneath the radar & get ya. At the time, I wish I didn’t go through what I did… saw it coming sooner & wasn’t so naïve, but now I look back at the shit storm & am thankful for all I’ve learned… not just about myself, but about the kind of people I want to surround myself with. I should thank those responsible for the person I’ve become… but I won’t.

I hate the phrases 'what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger' and 'God only gives you as much as you can handle' because really guy? Are you trying to kill me? How strong are you actually looking to make me? Unless there’s this master plan that I’m unaware of for me to become the next Dalai Lama, I’m pretty sure I’m good in that department. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve seen a lot & so have the people in my life. It’s safe to say that we’re an incredibly strong bunch. We’re lucky to be standing, lucky to live to tell these stories, & lucky to have each other to lean on when things get ugly again. We’re all patiently awaiting our karma in the meantime.

Until then, keep living the way you’re living. Add good to life & good will come back to you; add bad & expect that in return. And through all the bullshit that gets thrown at you, if you can look around & say 'well, it could be better… but then again, it could be worse', know you’re going to be alright; just hold tight to karma.

m.