I Used to be a Good Person.....then I went to law school

My sister said to me the other day, "I'm not going to talk to lawyers anymore; they don't trust anyone." I was explaining to her why it seemed like a bad idea that the person living in her apartment this summer was going to pay rent directly to the landlord while she remained the only one liable under the lease. While explaining it to her I was thinking "Mr. Not-Allowed-to-Have-a-Name-on-the-Internet would be so proud of me for realizing this could be an issue." But after my sister made her comment, all I could do was laugh. It was sad laugh, because that's what I always thought of Daddy growing up: he doesn't trust anyone. And I always thought it was so awful.

That's one of those things law school does, and it's proud to do. 'We teach you to think critically, to see all potential problems in advance." I.e. 'we teach you to trust no one and always expect the worst of everyone.' What a crappy way to go about life! Church views people as innately good. In law school, they are viewed as all innately bad. Not only does no one get a second chance, no one even gets a first chance. How unpleasant is the world when everyone has to watch their own backs and can rely on no one! Did I really ask for this? Did I really ask to become this?

The best things we can give in life, love and respect, they are all free, and they need to be freely given. If no one will give any of these things without first getting it, then no one will have them. But if everyone gives these things without having to get them first, then everyone will have them. Giving them requires trust and faith in other people's abilities, in their goodness. Of course, those vampire 'logical' products of our critically thinking institutions would say, 'but everyone's not going to give it, so it won't work like that.' They're probably right. But, a world where some people give and some people take is better than a world where no one gives. A world where no one trusts, loves or respects others is a very cold world indeed.

Reach out and give love and respect, to your friends, to your neighbors, to people you meet on the street. If you're worried, if you can't let go of watching your own back, start with the little things: "I will trust you will do what you say you will do without making you promise or put it in writing because if you don't do it, I will still be ok." Someday, I hope, more of us can get to "I will trust you will do what you say you will do because you are a good person."

(Original Post)

Couch

Distressed

Rain