In Reply to: You gotta be kidding!!!! posted by Say what???? on November 01, 2004 at 23:14:53:
Personally, I think YOU are the one who is so clouded by your anti-Family venom that you are unable to divorce yourself from it and look at what I said from an objective standpoint.
I am not interested in striving to become, as you said, a bossy bitch. Yes, that is some people's character, but it is not anything I am going to strive for. And yes, I would find being kind, even when others are unkind, to be an accomplishment. I believe Jesus would agree, but I won't get into posting NT Bible verses at this point. I have known just a couple of people in my life who I believe came close to accomplishing that level of kindness, and they are people I will never forget and forever respect. (And no, they were not doormats, that's another subject altogether and has nothing to do with being guided by kindness no matter what.)
Character can be built and molded by having a goal, a principle or set of principles to live by (whether you care to call them "ditties" or Bible verses or just strongly held personal principles) and learning through trial and error how to make your principles work on a day to day basis.
And I believe you're never too old to work on personal growth and character building. I look at the people who surround me at my office, etc. and I think most of them feel they are a "finished work" and expect others just to take them as they are, good or bad. I think that's a shame and takes a lot of the challenge and fun out of life. I prefer to think I can choose one or more areas of character- for instance, kindness or positiveness or cheerfulness- and strive to make that more a part of my life, hopefully to the point it becomes part of my nature.
So no, I am in no way kidding.
Laura