Thursday, October 15, 2009

Self Discipline brings a Better World

It is true.

Being able to discipline oneself can bring about a better world. 

Something as simple as properly throwing away your garbage and not just flinging it out your window, to knowing how to shut the water faucet closed when you're done using it, these are things which can help make the world a better place.  Small steps.  Baby steps even. 

Lots of advertising campaigns have spoken about this.  Political.  Social.  Ecological.  The power of One.  We have all heard the cliches before.  How one person can make a difference.  How that single vote can affect history.  How one person choosing to donate, or to volunteer, or to speak up can make a difference.

It is no different in making anything else in the world better.

But ultimately, it is rooted in self discipline.  Being able to tell if something is right or wrong, and choosing to do the right thing regardless of whether or not others will see or know what you've done.   It can be as simple as realizing garbage should best be at least sealed or tied up in bags for collection and not just strewn all over the collection area, or as simple as making sure no potted plant or pet is practically abandoned just because you have other priorities in life.  Be it single man, to married couple, self discipline can help make a huge difference.  After all, just as a mother can't be excused for not feeding her kids because she had to work overtime to pay the bills, one should hold the same disciplined dedicated focus on what should and must be done for everything else in life. 

Stopping at a red light, even if no other cars are present.

Informing a restaurant one of their urinals is wasting water even if you aren't paying for the water bills.

Reporting the right amount of time you were at work and not abusing flexitime.

Stopping the beer when you realize you're getting a tad too tipsy and emotional to be responsible.

Admitting the possibly painful truth rather than allowing others to believe in a lie that hurts someone important to you.

Splurging on credit even when you still have bills you have to pay.

They might all seem different.  They might all seemingly require different virtues.  Different values.  Different upbringings.

But ultimately, if one disciplines one's self to always focus on doing the right and proper thing, they are all the same:  they are opportunities to exercise self discipline.

So, with all the talk on Global Warming, on Obama possibly being the AntiChrist, on Erap and Binay horrifically planning to run for office, and how Church and State need to be separate, I tell you, it is only once everyone begins to try to self discipline themselves to do the right thing will we really ever see a difference happen.

Shit doesn't always just happen to happen.

There are times shit happens because that's how much we value doing the right thing.  Let's see how things are happening as a wake-up call.  It is time to discipline ourselves.

We all do deserve to have things start getting better, after all.


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