In My Mind’s Zen Garden

My wife and I went to the theater earlier today (to see “A Mighty Heart” starring Angelina Jolie, by the way), and the lines to buy tickets were super long.

I separated to wait in the long line to get popcorn. It was a nice, warm summer’s day and it just seemed everyone was outside going to the malls, the theaters, everywhere.

Anyway, when my wife and I hooked up to go inside to see the movie, my wife told me that she was appalled at the number of rude people just cutting in line ahead of her. We are talking about Moms with children especially.

So, this Mom with her two children just fell into line ahead of my wife. And so my wife asked the guy ahead of her if they were part of his group, and he said, “No”.

My wife talked to them and told the Mom and her children that they can’t do that. But they ignored her and didn’t respond, and kept their place in line.

[ an example of the problems cutting in line can cause ]

It just made me sad that I think most people are as honest as I am (and I really try to live with this code of honesty and integrity), because I would never, ever do that… to just sneak in line like that. Who are these people? Don’t they know that as innocent as it seems that cutting in line is dishonest?

And what bothers me more is the sneakiness, the casualness of how people do this!

I think that being a bad person begins with the little stuff.

I don’t know, people. I guess they figure people out there do much more evil things to others, cutting in line is nothing in comparison to say, Paris Hilton violating her parole.

But, I also look at it another way. When you cut in line, you are basically cheating others and yourself. It harms your own personal integrity. Sure, you might be that “Soccer Mom” driving the SUV and thinking about your kids’ welfare over everyone else’s. So cutting in line is a good thing if it means your children won’t be late in seeing the next showing of “Ratatouille”!!!

But also…

…you are teaching your children to cheat, and to not follow rules that basically everyone else should abide by… like going to the end of the line when going to the movies.

It’s also a refelction on one’s own character and sense of justice and fairness.

Where is the compassion nowadays for our fellow human beings. Are we inherently evil and bad people? Is this in our nature?

I don’t know, people. I really don’t know sometimes…… *sigh*