Life Lessons

• Silence is not always golden.  A kind word can change someone faster then silence.  I am a debt collector, and I get A LOT of angry people on the phones.  But every once in a while a kind soul comes on the line.  And its those people that cheer me up, that make my day.  Its those people I'll be more than happy to help and assist any way I can.  I may hate my job, and they may hate getting these calls, yet we end up having a nice conversation where both parties come out winners.
• The world is not black and white.  There are many shades of gray.  Sometimes you may have to do something that you feel is not right in order to get by.  A thief may steal to survive.  A man may have to kill to save a life.  A person may have to work at a morally ambiguous job to pay the bills.  But there is a point where you know what you are doing is wrong and you can change it.
• Trust your instincts.  Go with your gut.  Trust your conscience.  There may be a gray area, but that doesn't mean there isn't a right or wrong.  You know what is right and wrong and at what point you feel it is necessary to do something.
• Let people believe what they want to believe.  If you are religious, don't push your religion on other people.  That goes for suicide bombers, door-to-door evangelists, and preachers who pretend to have all the answers.  That goes double for those who berate opposing religious views and don't even follow their own beliefs or say someone is wrong and they are right simply because their Holy Book (Bible, Qur'an, Torah, Dianetics, etc) tells them so.
• Humans seem to be naturally rude, loud, nosy, angry, violent, aggresive, and mean.  I have yet to find the reason why that is.  And, again, it has nothing to do with their religion.  I've had priests threaten me, seen racist Christians, and known religious people to swear and yell at me.
• Cherish and learn from your past.  Keep mementos.  Treasure it.  Even if it is something you would rather not remember, it helped shape you as the person you are today.  And I said 'helped', not 'made'.  You are the only one who has the power to change yourself or make yourself.  No one else.  Remember that.
• Learn.  Every day.  Every day you have an opportunity to learn something new.  I learned I get a better shave with long, slow strokes of my razor than short, fast strokes.  And less nicks.  I also learn how to strategize and adjust every time I play a tactics or card battle game.  Just keep an open mind and two open eyes.
• This is only the beginning, there is more coming.

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