I wonder sometimes about the old saying, there's good in everyone. It's my belief that these concepts are weak illusions. There is no such thing as pure good or true evil, there is kindness and cruelty, consideration and thoughtlessness, compassion and desperation. But in nature there is no good and bad. An animal nurtures her young because she is protecting her investment, a different animal kills another's young to feed her own, there is no evil there, and no good. Humans likewise are not evil or good, some decide to do what is called evil to others out of self-interest or instability and some do what is good in their judgement to be proud of themselves and liked by others.

Thus any person can be loved by any other person who comes to know them closely enough to see their humanity at least until they run across an inconsistency in what they believe is good or bad, or some other inability to compromise is found. It's when a person can't tell the difference between relating and actual compatibility that the tinderbox homes I see built around me go up. It seems to me that so many people, especially the young or those facing stress in their lives, quickly confuse empathy for a person of the gender they are attracted to for love of them.

On the other face of the coin the inability of people to see the faults and facets of a person too often results in a leader's word and actions being taken as godlike, and held to such a standard. Being placed on a pedestal from which the only way to descend is to fall.

M.