Karma

My 68th birthday is fast approaching and I'm contemplating what I've learned in my life. I do believe in karma because most of the bad things have been brought on by my own doing.

I know I've become a kinder, softer person because I'm lucky enough to have learned from my mistakes. As a young girl everything was either black or white to me with no inbetween but these days I see mostly shades of grey.

I have become increasingly intolerant to violence and cruelty which I feel is destroying the human race as we see more of it on the news, in movies, and in games. If we continue to become immune to violence and cruelty we will revert to savagery and lose our higher calling.

Truly good people enchant me. That they often come with a few flaws is no matter because they've reached the point I'd like to reach but haven't yet. I have a lot more to learn and a long way to go but at least I'm trying. You can't just wake up one morning and decide you will be a better person. You have to learn the lessons to gradually become one. By surrounding myself with good karma and opening my eyes and mind to understanding, it's made me a much happier person and possibly a better one.

I remember my grandmother saying she'd like to be young again but know what she knew as an old woman. I'm still at the stage where I couldn't face going through life with all it's trials and tribulations again for all the tea in China. Old age is peaceful in comparison. I don't want to go back and I'm looking forward to what comes next.