Where has the Golden Rule Gone? The Golden Rule basically says, "You should treat others the way you would like them to treat you." It does not say to pay them back for what they have done to you. Neither does it say to treat them the way they have treated you. It definitely does not say to treat yourself first and best, while you have a chance.
Let me illustrate. I'm taking blood pressure medicine and water pills so I frequently have to stop and go to the necessary facilities. Let me give you a couple of illustrations from my visit to such places. Whether you call these rooms with toilets: restrooms, even though there is no bed or comfortable chair; bathrooms, even when most do not have a bathtub; comfort room [CR]; water closet [WC]; John; Post Office; etc, etc.
Recently a man was trying to get a paper towel out of the crowded towel dispenser. He became more and more impatient as he was obviously in a hurry and a huff. He was finally successful in drying his hands but ended up with fragments of paper strewn over the floor around the waste paper container. He finally tossed the last paper towel toward the can but it missed, landing on the floor with the rest of his mess. He left obviously, "bent out of shape". He probably thought it serves them right not having something easier and he acted angry at the entire situation. He probably thought, "It is not my job." It was definitely a one-man mess. It certainly wasn't my mess. I had nothing what-so-ever to do to create this scenario. But neither did those workmen, it was not their mess. As someone following the Golden Rule, it took me five seconds to pick up the trash and put it in the right place. I wanted to show appreciation for the privilege of having such nice facilities so we could use. It cost me nothing, but a little time, to treat the staff the way I would want to be treated if I was an employee. Even though any following travelers would not have a clue what I did, I wanted to leave the place tidy. To leave it so others behind me could find it the way I would like to find it.
Just last night, I had to go to the facility really bad. I had driven about 75 miles, stopped once on the side of the road as I received a phone call. But for the last 10-15 miles I thought I would bust. I went into the service station and they had a one-hole facility. Another man walked in ahead of me and used the facility. When I went in the toilet had either not been flushed or it was blocked. When I flushed it, I noticed it was the latter. Fortunately it did not run over. This problem may not have been caused by the man who just left, but he didn't say anything to me about it nor did he report it to the staff. It definitely was not my problem and I could have very well just emptied my bladder and have gone on my merry way. However in this case there was a toilet plunger beside the toilet, which is a good sign that this is a frequent problem. It just took a couple seconds for me to relieve the blockage using the plunger. Neither the customers, management, nor staff, have a clue as to what I did.
No body has to know what we do, but there is no law against being courteous, speaking kind words, and acting in ways that we want others to act toward us. There is no law about employing some common sense which doesn't seem too common now.
Now a few comments in regard to the rioting, currently in the news. It is tragic when someone is killed or dies unexpectedly. But whenever there is a shooting by the police that does not give people a license to loot and ravage the businesses of innocent people. There is consequences for wrong actions and we need to look at ways to respond according to the Golden Rule. We can get even God's way, by returning good for evil. It is never right to do wrong.
THE GOLDEN RULE IS STILL WORTH LIVING BY
written by George Miller
