perception

Yesterday I watched the movie "the girl with the dragon tattoo". It was quite a graphic movie in the sense that very unpleasant thing were happening to the main characters. The movie was excellent as the storyline was good and it showed how people can choose to behave in different circumstances. The more you understand the background stories the more things make sense. There are no black and white absolutes which is what I liked about it. I think "truth" and our versions of it are multi dimensional. Having an opinion about anything therefor can be a difficult thing to shape.

We usually do not know what stories people carry around and it's usually not necessary for us to know either. I am a strong believer in that you are able to influence what you attract in your life, no exception. Being responsible for your own life and dealing with any situation that comes along is a daily activity. So what about when people appear not being able to defend themselves?

It's a good question and not an easy one. Are there bastards in the world? Most people would say yes of course: this that and the other! Are there innocents in the world? Yes. Are there tons of grey areas? Millions. Why do some people "have it easy" and why do "some people always experience shit"? I don't know either. But I do know that creating hypes and a lot of noise about bad things will hardly make it any better. It makes more sense to do the best you can do and if you do find yourself in a situation that you can make a lot of a difference, do so.

Nico and I once ran into a troubled girl on a campsite. She had serious thoughts about killing herself and had tried something with a gasoven that didn't work out. She had had a difficult childhood and eventhough she didn't mention all the particulars we did get a fair idea of the horrendousness of it. She spoke about it in such a off hand manner that would turn the average person stone cold. We did what we could for her and suggested things that could help her practically and mentally. She was most grateful as she said that we were strangers there at the right time to listen. And to care. I think it made a difference in her life that she needed at the time to make a decision to move forward.

Ultimately it seems that this is the only thing we can do: to be conscious of what we choose at any given time. And whether we give a damn about others. Even when we don't know them.

Who have you met recently that you could have helped but didn't? Who did you help but only realized later that you did? And would you be willing to step up and do the hard yards or just say you would? Things are never easy and straight forward and yet sometimes. They are.