The "real" self

Apparantly, some shock jock I'd never heard of until this week (the punishment I think most of them should get - obscurity) uttered filthy, derogatory words that caused a stir. Well, yes, that's what they do, from Limbaugh on through, making clear the point in scripture where it says that what a person says is what defiles them. They utter vileness and become famous for so doing. It reminds me of the moment on the playground when I was dared by a classmate to "cuss".

Now, this same person is claiming that he's not a racist or sexist person. He just says these things, you know? But inside, the "real person" is good. Well, I would agree that we all have that within us which is good. Of course we all do. I'm sure this person has even acted on that good impulse, but I am equally certain that he has tuned it out to do his job. It was not that goodness within him that led him to call those young women names.

Now, I've stumbled and fallen sometimes. And I recognize that I would not want to be categorized by those moments in my life. But I also recognize that I shape my own response to the world, one decision at a time. And those decisions are part of who I really am. I really am the person who didn't rise to the bait back on the playground, and I really am the person who wanted to clock that kid upside the head but didn't. I'm also the person that's lost my temper, said things I regret, and generally been difficult to deal with. I think the difference is that I know that that is part of the "real me" too. And that lets me work on listening more truely to the voice that leads me toward being a better me.