Ways
of
Being

You know,

when humans are born they know they are there,

that's for sure.

They cry asking to be fed because they can't feed themselves,

or they cry because they hurt

or are uncomfortable and want someone to fix it.

But as they grow into little kids

they get to know themselves in a different way.

They get to know the rhythm of the night and day,

of waking and playing

and eating and sleeping.

They get to know the meaning of the words

that the people around them speak.

And they get to understand that

they don't just have physical feelings,

but they have emotions like anger and jealousy

which make them hurt themselves and others

if they don't learn to control them.

So they have to learn

to control those hurtful feelings they have inside them,

and concentrate on their tolerance

and patience and perseverance.

And they get to understand that

having compassion

and loving concern

for those around them

is what actually brings them peace

and happiness.

That and being grateful to their Creator

for all the good things in their lives.

But as they get older

they find that their feelings get more complicated

and harder to keep under control.

And they get to know the things they like and don't like,

and they compare themselves to other people

and they see what they like and don't like about themselves.

And they like to have familiar things close by them,

that they sometimes think are their own,

until they realise that God owns everything

and just lends it to us for a while.

And though babies aren't expected to do anything for themselves at first,

as they grow older and know more about themselves

they are expected to take more control over the way they are.

And they have to work out what is good and what is bad about themselves,

and learn what is alright for babies but not alright for kids,

and what is alright for young kids but not alright when they are older.

It's what the big people call growing up.

Modesty, Industriousness, Trustworthyness?

Different ways to be Blameworthy?

Greed.