Living Proof

Never be mean to the wait staff.  For the most part, I'd like to think that I'm not so much judgmental as I am careful of who I select to be in my world. I don't care what color, race, gender or sexual orientation you are --- I go by my judge of character alone. I'm not perfect. I'm not trying to be. I never criticize unless it becomes obvious.  I observe. For example: if I see you being mean to the wait staff, I'll call you out on it and I'll avoid you at all costs and hope to God that the waiter or waitress spits in your food you brought back. If I see you intentionally hurting or using someone who is a good person, I'll steer clear. If I sense you're out to just use anyone who will just spend a moment's time with you just because you're bored, your invite will be declined. There are two sets of people: those who gain friends by hurting others and those who gain friends from being genuine friends. No doubt, people love to gossip and ...

One of my first experiences with things becoming inconsistent was my childhood upbringing. From being raised to ‘do the right thing’ from watching my parents getting taken away by the FBI at a very young age. At first I was infuriated that I had been lied to all my life, but then I realized how human my parents actually were. They did everything to provide a home for their family, even if . . . Although my trust for people dwindled a tad, my ability to forgive them was quite easy to do. They were like me. They lied to keep things calm. I lied to them about my whereabouts or if I had gone out drinking with my friends. “No mom, I didn’t drink. ...I didn’t smoke.” I lied. I was inconsistent. My mom was always quick to forgive me, even when she caught me with a cigarette dangling from my lying mouth or found a slew of beer cans stashed away in a big bag behind my bureau. My friends were always envious that I never got a “real” punishment. The most my mom would do was pull my private t...