Drift or swim

What's on my mind? A fair bit, as is my natural state, it would seem. So here's the thing... I think it's fair to say that I've lived a fairly charmed life. No one's life is perfect, but on the scale of human suffering, I've managed as decent a score as one is likely to get on this planet and in this plane of existence. And I believe in the idea that from those to whom much has been given, much should be expected in return. And I believe that there is such a thing as "the right thing to do," even if there can be some debate as to what exactly that is. Doing the right thing is often hard. Figuring out what the right thing is can be even harder. But please never for a moment think that it isn't worth doing. It may seem like sometimes, even often, it comes to nothing. It may blow up in your face and leave you wondering if it was really worth it at all. But I believe you do it anyways. To paraphrase from a letter by Hunter S. Thompson that I just discovered today, you have a choice to drift or to swim when dealing with the currents in your life. Not consciously choosing is the same as choosing to drift, although I do think sometimes drifting is okay. But better to make a choice either way. And sometimes doing the right thing means swimming against the current, in fact fighting it with all your might, because the currents in this world are sometimes horribly horribly wrong. But if you can, if you have the strength... and maybe even if you don't... please choose to do what is right and good and kind and decent and honest and honourable. And what is beautiful. Even if you think you're the only one. Because let me tell you, you are not.