The Entropy of Human Nature - My Christmas Rush Reflection

Christmas Reflection

If I will hold myself up to the standard or criteria as to by which I categorize people if they are someone who is a menace or someone who adds to the headache and problems of other people and society in general, then I may say and possibly even conclude that I belong to that very same category, and this is my Christmas reflection (hardly).

I can say that each and everyone of us has a certain level of selfishness rooted deep within the very core of our being. Well, selfishness in a sense that as we go on our daily lives, we may only tend to think how we can get across from point A to point B without giving so much of a thought of others.

Case in point, as I brave the streets of my city during the Christmas rush, it became very easy for me, without the least amount of effort, to label someone, or in this case another driver, as someone inconsiderate of other drivers. However, this driver in particular is a public utility vehicle driver, who is just trying, I think, to pick-up as many commuters as he possibly can so as to be able to bring more food on the table for his family for their Christmas dinner.

And as I am writing this, I feel a tremendous amount of guilt and shame for the mere fact that my actions, or accurately speaking, my thoughts rendered judgment against my neighbor and holding them to a very negative light.

But, going back to the "a certain level of selfishness rooted deep within the very core of our being" piece. While I felt guilty of having such thoughts as judging my neighbor, I also want to address the selfishness part - the best intentions of the driver whom I set as an example may have the best intentions, if not the VERY BEST INTENTIONS, in his heart to make the most out of the Christmas rush; however, it is also to be noted, sadly, that it was at the expense of the convenience of the other drivers.

I am not so much as focusing on the negative aspect of our experiences in our daily lives; but, instead, it is to showcase, or worse, highlight the fact, and with great sorrow in my heart to say this, that common courtesy is so rare nowadays; and when someone shows courtesy, it is being taken advantage of. But, of course, there are still others out there who never does this - taking advantage of the goodness of others.

In this essay; however, I'm talking generally about our society.

The law of entropy is very much present anywhere you look in every inch of what your eyes can behold. If you do not know, entropy, in the most simplistic way that I can explain what it is, is the fundamental concept in science that everything that is in order will always lead towards disorder.

But, why am I talking about entropy? Well, mainly just because it's making me wonder if our capacity to do good and be aware of the existence of others, holding them to a high regard, and in effect be more courteous towards them, is also affected by entropy?

Don't misconstrue my writing of this essay as if I'm the courteous one amidst a society so enamored, to the sad unawareness on their part, of the depravation of its basic morality - wait, that's way too inconsiderate - it should be: 'depravation of its basic courtesy'; far be it from me, well mainly due to the fact, that I may just be the most judgmental person in the world, without me talking about it, just mainly mentally, all in my head, if you know what I mean.

As I thought of this while driving, I almost made a mental promise that I will do better, that I should be an example to society and I resolved to surrender myself to God and by His grace, do my utmost to be courteous and so I did.

In the rotunda, or at least that's what it is called even though it is a far cry of being one rotunda, I gave way to a motorcycle driver who was going left as he made his way through this round-about. I stepped on the break, even almost abruptly; but, not enough to make the tires screech and mind you, I made sure there were no other vehicles behind me as I committed on this act of basic courtesy to make way for this motorcycle driver with his partner (or wife, maybe) as the back rider.

To my surprise, said motorcycle driver and his partner (or wife, maybe) made a huge smile on their faces and mouthed the words 'thank you'.

It brought tears to my eyes.