When you do bad things ...
... they stay with you FOREVER.
... you WILL get caught.
... bad things happen to YOU.
It was the year, 1966, fifth grade, George St. Martian was one of my buddies. George convinced me to steal a toy from the local "Five and Dime" store in Foxboro, Mass. I got caught and still remember it to this day. And George made his get away out the back door. I don't remember the punishment I had to pay. But, getting caught for stealing that Matchbox toy still haunts me. I just remember it doesn't pay to do bad things.
Yet, since then, I have done other bad things, and been busted. This is not going to be a forum for listing all the past 50 years worth of sin. But, rather a reflection, that I kinda wish I didn't have to have learned the hard way. The words to a Tom Petty song, "Anything is legal in Jersey, as long as you don't get caught," ring true to our desire to do bad things without having to get caught. We like doing bad, but who wants to pay the conscquences for those actions.
Just about 3 weeks ago a racing buddy of mine got himself in a bit of trouble. He is in jail now, for doing some bad things. And it looks like he will be in there for a while. I am sure the crack cocaine he got hooked on helped him make the bad choices that got him in jail. But nevertheless, he did bad things, and has gotten caught and will have to pay. Possible five to ten years of his life, for a couple of days of stupid.
I am torn between knowing the good guy, that was my racing buddy, and seeing the bad guy that I don't know. I want to help him, yet he should pay. I wish most of all he would have learned the lesson, just a bit sooner .... when you do bad things...bad things happen.
There is a positive side to doing bad things. We have all heard the cliche "We learn from our mistakes." Well, I have a bunch of mistakes tallied up over the years, so I must be pretty damn smart. Well, I dont' know how smart I am but, the lessons I have learned have helped me to avoid some of those bad choices a second or third time around.
Part of the maturing process in doing less bad things, is realizing that my actions effect others, and caring about it. I have always known that my actions effect others, but didn't give a damn. I only worried about what impacted me. If I would by my actions, then it was good. But, know I am seeing that hurting others is not a fair price to pay for my own advances.
So, if age 50 is the half way point to reaching age 100. Then I have 50 more years, to make more good choices, and less bad ones.
Oh, whatever happened to my buddy George. I heard he kept making a lot of really bad choices. Went to jail many times, and died before he reached 40. I don't know for sure, but that is what I heard.
... you WILL get caught.
... bad things happen to YOU.
It was the year, 1966, fifth grade, George St. Martian was one of my buddies. George convinced me to steal a toy from the local "Five and Dime" store in Foxboro, Mass. I got caught and still remember it to this day. And George made his get away out the back door. I don't remember the punishment I had to pay. But, getting caught for stealing that Matchbox toy still haunts me. I just remember it doesn't pay to do bad things.
Yet, since then, I have done other bad things, and been busted. This is not going to be a forum for listing all the past 50 years worth of sin. But, rather a reflection, that I kinda wish I didn't have to have learned the hard way. The words to a Tom Petty song, "Anything is legal in Jersey, as long as you don't get caught," ring true to our desire to do bad things without having to get caught. We like doing bad, but who wants to pay the conscquences for those actions.
Just about 3 weeks ago a racing buddy of mine got himself in a bit of trouble. He is in jail now, for doing some bad things. And it looks like he will be in there for a while. I am sure the crack cocaine he got hooked on helped him make the bad choices that got him in jail. But nevertheless, he did bad things, and has gotten caught and will have to pay. Possible five to ten years of his life, for a couple of days of stupid.
I am torn between knowing the good guy, that was my racing buddy, and seeing the bad guy that I don't know. I want to help him, yet he should pay. I wish most of all he would have learned the lesson, just a bit sooner .... when you do bad things...bad things happen.
There is a positive side to doing bad things. We have all heard the cliche "We learn from our mistakes." Well, I have a bunch of mistakes tallied up over the years, so I must be pretty damn smart. Well, I dont' know how smart I am but, the lessons I have learned have helped me to avoid some of those bad choices a second or third time around.
Part of the maturing process in doing less bad things, is realizing that my actions effect others, and caring about it. I have always known that my actions effect others, but didn't give a damn. I only worried about what impacted me. If I would by my actions, then it was good. But, know I am seeing that hurting others is not a fair price to pay for my own advances.
So, if age 50 is the half way point to reaching age 100. Then I have 50 more years, to make more good choices, and less bad ones.
Oh, whatever happened to my buddy George. I heard he kept making a lot of really bad choices. Went to jail many times, and died before he reached 40. I don't know for sure, but that is what I heard.
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