To Be The Shepard

When someone commits a social transgression against you. It hurts. It is especially painful when you made the effort to follow societal norms while that person has decided to ignore them. That pain releases in your head a cacophonous set of emotions which include rage and frustration. You feel like kicking ass and taking names. And of course if you are a normal person, which most of us are, you hold back and try to let it go. Until the next time it happens again.

Perhaps it is a sign of old age, but I find this cycle tiring and unnecessary. I desire now to get beyond that. And some recent news has come to my attention that reinforces that position.


It recently came to my attention that a former noisy and obnoxious neighbor recently sold his home and the evidence indicates that he had to engage in a short sale. He either could not hold onto it or the rapid deprecating value of his home was driving him nuts. Or it was a little bit from column A and column B.

A while back, I wrote about the awful tragedy of Annie Le and compared her murderer to an entitled miscreant that used to bully me in high school. It recently came to my attention he has the proud distinction of owning a home in an area where the housing market's prospects of recovery are between zero and negative 10. Due to this and many other factors effecting his finances, it is highly unlikely that we will ever cross paths again which is fine by me.

As much as I want to be the harbinger of justice, I realize that in certain situations it is not my place. Something else is in play that will deal with these cretins. It is also a strong reminder to myself that what has befallen these individuals can take me down too. Especially if I stray from my path.

Which is why any personal satisfaction has dissipated and replaced with a strong sense of humility and compassion.

Besides, life is very short. So why should I waste it on people who really don't matter to me? Why should give into tyranny when I can try for something so much better?

One should always stand up for themselves. But be aware when it is time to walk away and let nature take it's course. And have the fortitude to let go.

I mentioned the following quote in a previous entry. And I think it is more than appropriate to conclude this entry with it.

In the long run, every man will pay the penalty for this own misdeeds. The man who remembers this will be angry with no one, indignant with no one, revile no one, blame no one, offend no one, and hate no one.

-- Epictetus