What Makes Us Tick?
Although we are thousands of years from our ancient ancestors… we may not be that different.
Our thoughts… however brief… may tell more about us than we want to admit.
We watch the news and it is full of violence. How and why… the two questions that baffle most of us. As humans we all sin but for the most part we are not violent but a compassionate race. For some they are destined to spend a lifetime in a dark place from an early age on and all the love and counseling cannot change who they are or will become…. but what about the others that are for the most part… good and descent people. What caused them to snap? There are so many times on the news you will see them interviewing the neighbors and the first thing they will tell us is… “They are good people.. we never saw this coming!” There is a thin line between right and wrong and for the most part.. we straddle that line. What if instead of calling it right and wrong… we called it black and white. Now if we straddle that thin line you might even say we were in a gray area. Well… that works for me! Don’t be concerned over this gray area as it’s part of what makes us tick. For example we’ve all told what we like to call… “A little white lie”. I didn’t know that lies came in colors so I looked it up and this is what I found from Dictionary.die.net:
white lie
n : an unimportant lie (especially one told to be tactful or
polite)
Take Santa Clause for instance… I didn’t start that one but I certainly helped keep it going. That was a lie that was told to me when I was small and I just passed it on. There was a certain amount of sadness when I learned the truth but it was those years of joy and excitement that I can still feel whenever I watch a child when he sees Santa. It is through the eyes of that child that even for a brief moment… I believe.
We must be careful because not all lies are white..
Now lets talk about rumors, gossip, and other forms of what some like to call: “The talk around the water-cooler.”
Let me share a joke with you that I heard many years ago and it basically sums it up:
One woman just got a juicy piece of gossip and wanted to share it with her best friend so she immediately called her on the phone.
After the conversation was over the friend excitedly said.. “Oh please.. tell me more!”
The woman explains… “Heck.. I already told you more than I heard!!”
Can you see how this can really hurt people and it happens all the time… why?? Because we like to hear the worse in people and spread it like wild fire. These to are good and decent people… so why do we constantly have this problem in churches and in the workplace? It’s part of what makes us tick…
Now.. here’s the scary question that I asked a room full of people… It was this question that actually showed us how thin that line really is. I told them that they didn’t have to answer out loud but they did however have to be honest with themselves and go with the first answer that pops into their heads.
You are sitting outside in your front yard enjoying a nice cold drink and suddenly you hear the screeching of brakes out on the main road and you wait and nothing…
Are you disappointed that you didn’t hear a crash???
Although no one answered out loud the expressions on their faces told me what I already knew. You guessed it… almost all were disappointed.. even though it was a brief thought. The sad thing was the ones that were clearly disappointed were shocked at their own answer and it actually made them question themselves and realized that they weren’t all they thought they were. Don’t beat yourselves up as we are human and whatever we went through thousands of years ago is still somewhere within us.
This article was written to give you a little something to ponder over… If you have anything to add please feel free to leave me a comment as I love your feed back.
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Post CommentAdam Henry Sears
On January 11, 2009 at 8:19 am
Hi, Karelee, how are you?
While it’s true that sin has converted a lot of people into careless, selfish whiners, not everyone delights in real-life destruction. I am far from perfect myself, but I certainly would not be disappointed if someone was able to avoid an accident. I would be relieved.
The only thing is, I disagree that people are innately good. Sin changed that a very long time ago. The fact of the matter is there is no grey area, only grey people. The truth is, there is right and there is wrong and there is a line between the two, and the reason we think there is a grey area is because we look through grey eyes, because people cross that line all the time, and it’s not just lies that do it. We were created in God’s image, so, first we were white, but Satan convinced people to go from white to black. The more black you add they darker a person gets. So, a white lie is still the color black, and the more we tell, the darker we get. If we want less darkness in our lives, then we have to do more of the ‘white’ things. Thanks for the opportunity to share, and have a good day.
Karelee
On January 11, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I’m fine thank you Adam and yourself?
Thank you so much for your input but don’t forget about the kindly woman who hid Jesus and lied to protect him and God blessed her. I do love your comment and you are so welcome for the chance to share your opinion.
Drew Diligence
On January 11, 2009 at 9:53 pm
All this black and white, makes me see red.
Karelee
On January 12, 2009 at 7:13 am
Drew… You’re back! Love your input… I see the holidays have boosted your spirits. Missed ya!
Karelee
Gordon G
On January 12, 2009 at 9:18 am
Karelee,
Another thought provoking article I like it. Keeping us on our toes…
God Bless
Drew Diligence
On January 12, 2009 at 10:03 am
Yes I’m back.
… I did however get banned again.
Some people on this site are very twitchy.
I was just in the process of submitting a bit of whimsy… but I got banned.
I guess all those people desperate to vent their spleen at my writing will just have to wait.
Hey do you want to see it?
Karelee
On January 12, 2009 at 10:26 am
Would love to … Let me know how..??
Drew Diligence
On January 12, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Just read.
RESURRECTION
The swirling mist, to be not missed,
Slowly begins to rise.
And the glowing sun, smiles gently on,
The field where scarecrow lies.
And all the men, from field to fen’;
Whose minds are turned to sowing.
Feel the need, to stow the seed;
To tend the endless crowing.
As winter cedes, the raven breeds,
And a murder must be fed;
But a crow pecked field, cannot yield,
New succor, hope, nor bread.
So in scarecrow field, the farmers wield,
Love, shovel, stake, and straw.
With help he stands, with twigs for hands;
And scarecrow lives… once more.
Karelee
On January 13, 2009 at 7:32 am
Drew… that is breath taking. You not only gave life to a scarecrow but did it with such emotion and compassion. Thank you so much for sharing… This is by far your best piece. Love it….
Karelee
Drew Diligence
On January 13, 2009 at 9:01 am
Aw Shucks.
Brian Daniel Stankich
On January 13, 2009 at 6:14 pm
there is certainly a prevalence of people willing to lie for their own advantage
Bob
On January 14, 2009 at 6:04 am
The article was well written and gave us food for thought. The poem from Drew was also very well done. I don’t usually read poetry but this one actually surprised me. I’m still not really into poetry but this one was definitly worth reading. Great job both of you.
eddiego65
On January 15, 2009 at 9:52 am
Nice point. But I think I have to agree with Adam Henry Sears on this one. Great article!
Morgana
On January 16, 2009 at 11:58 am
White lies, I tell them, I have to. My mother calls me all the time asking me if I did this and if I did that . I have to tell her a little lie.Lol Anyway, I haven’t made up my mind about human nature yet . I always contradict myself. One day I can almost cry when I see people so humble, sweet, and good to each other . The next day I hate people’s uncaring attitude. Maybe I’m not the one who is confused.Maybe we are the ones confused. We can’t be 100% good and holy because we are not angels and we are not saints. We are not perfect. Now to Drew’s “Resurrection” —would you blame me if I said I was moved by it? I can only hope to become one fraction of the poet, writer he is.
Karelee
On January 16, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Morgana: As humans our emotions are extremely complex so please don’t beat yourself up. You’re a sweet person and I’ve done the same thing… tell a little “white lie” to spare someone’s feelings. Drew has certainly got a lot to learn about being tactful but he certainly can write. I don’t blame you and I loved the poem. It was his best writing so far. Not sure if even he can top that one!!
God bless… Karelee
Drew Diligence
On January 16, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Oh that’s nothing… a mere whimsy.
Karelee
On January 18, 2009 at 6:12 am
eddie.. not sure what you agree with as in one sentence he disagrees that the majority of people are disappointed over not hearing a crash.. the next sentence he disagrees that I feel for the most part that they are good and decent people. HMMM.. If there is one thing we all agree on is that we all disagree which is certainly why we have a comment section. I love hearing your input and thanks again for reading and leaving your thoughts.
Karelee
On January 18, 2009 at 6:19 am
Adam: You mention that the more black they add.. the darker they get. Black is black… the only way they get darker is if they are in a gray area. You made the remark that there is only black or white…I guess my question is “If we do good deeds do we get whiter?” HMMM… thanks for giving me something to ponder..
Karelee
spiritwalker
On January 28, 2009 at 10:53 am
I witnessed a crash a few months ago sitting at work. I watched the whole thing from start to finish right from my desk. As I looked out the window, directly in front of me, I saw a dump truck ram into a small pick-up truck. The driver of the small truck was killed. The rear-view mirror was rammed into his head. (Of course I found this out later.) Afterwards I have found myself searching and searching for any additional information I could build it up with. I wanted to be the famous bearer of bad news…even if it meant adding a little drama. Although it was pretty gruesome on its own. Anything to make it more interesting huh?
Duff D Moss
On January 29, 2009 at 6:39 am
I like these sort of self questioning topics. I think the white lie has a survival value though. As the human ego is generally today quite a fragile thing, if we didn’t have white lies, we would probably all be knocking the stuffing out of each other even more than we do now
Would there be any survivors from even the battle of the sexes without the white lie?
dave cartier
On February 2, 2009 at 7:41 pm
karalee since you seem to be on speaking terms with the idiot known as drew diligence, could you please tell him to not bother commenting on my work i neither want nor need his critique on anything i write .he is the most insensitive self proclaimed poet i have ever seen ,what a waste of human flesh ,and if you could please tell him resurrection should be call deffication
Drew Diligence
On February 2, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Dave, you asked me to teach you how to write.
Don’t you remember?
By the way most writers like to capitalize their “I’s” and capitalize after sentences. Proper Nouns should also be capitalized.
We also like to end sentences with a full stop. Look there’s one! Did you see that?
Oh and your rendering of the word “deffication” is deficient; it should be defecation.
Dave… You have the personality and intellect… of a fish.
Karelee
On February 3, 2009 at 7:39 am
Dave.. You posted your comment for the world to see so Drew has gotten your message without me having to relay it. No one will ever accuse Drew of being tactful but he can certainly write. I was unable to click on your name and check out your work. Will certainly look you up and click on your articles.
Drew… Your response to Dave’s comment was actually pretty self contained and my heart swelled with pride until the fish thing. I understand that his actions caused your reaction. Your word for the day is “tactful”. Now.. grab a nice hot drink, kick back, and throw another log on the fire.
haha wow...
On May 15, 2009 at 8:46 pm
there is a right and there is a wrong?? Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but society judges right and wrong according to the individuals who make up the society. In some places they eat snake, and those people don’t suffor for it, in the USA however, snake would be considered disgusting by most. does that make it wrong? Does that make us right? Put it in perspective, everything is subjective. There is no right, there is no wrong, there is only how WE view it, we created the right and the wrong…. And don’t say god did, cuz I know plenty of people who masturbate, they are not stricken by lightning or some unfortunate event…. and He clearly said that was not O.K. so…. maybe we need to be a little more tolerant?
hiho
On June 27, 2009 at 5:46 am
Hehehe..the women I work with aren’t too bad..but there’s always one or two that stir the pot. I don’t like to indulge in gossip but if it is harmless gas-bagging about someone everyone has problems with..I pander to it. I liked the joke by the way..it’s so true..good article to ponder over Karelee.