As my children are growing, I’ve wanted to teach them the value of becoming genuinely good people.
What is the value to them? Or to anyone?
Saying “you need to become a good person for you”… didn’t cut it, it was too ambiguous. I felt like I needed something a bit more concrete, especially for my teenagers while they are in this crazy experimental stage looking for constant stimulation, where friendships are everything and peer pressure is normal.
We talk a lot about staying true to yourself, and the discord it causes inside of you when you don’t. I point it out when they have made choices true to them that feel good… and when they have chose something not true to who they are, and how awful it feels.
We talk about choosing the kind of person they want to be and how their actions need to line up with that.
Every once in a while the universe shows them the secret.
Good things happen to good people. Not always… but sometimes. Being a good person doesn’t exclude you from life’s struggles, but once in a while you get a gift.
Life is so much about connection, contribution and growth, that’s where the value lies.
When you are a good person, other good people recognize it.
Good people accept each other, look out for each other, and help each other. They can be trusted, and you can count on them. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
Einstein said, “try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
Good people are valued in my home.