I commit myself to living a happy and creative life, and to supporting the efforts of others to likewise live happily and creatively. I commit myself to taking as much pleasure in the happiness of others as I take in my own successes, justifiable pride, and companionship with those I love and who love me.
I reject fully and completely all resentment and self pity as pernicious and unworthy of any human spirit.
I commit to being persistent in the pursuit of my own freely chosen ends. I commit to being persistent even in the pursuit of persistence, and the progressive perfection of my capacity for relaxed, engaged, joyful and effective work.
I commit to lifelong learning and personal growth, in the broadest possible senses.
You will note some flirting with Ayn Rand there. She was close, but slightly off the mark. My sense of her, though, remains of someone who fundamentally did care about people, who did have a good heart, and who was in the most important ways decent, even if she was prone to temper tantrums, childish self indulgences, and a pronounced need to control those around her.
This will evolve, but that’s my first stab at it.
I will add, actually, that it is apparently a la mode for Christians to say “I am third”, where God is first, others are second, and they are third. I don’t agree with this. Christ was the essence of decency, and no doubt understood that the best guarantee for open affection directed at others is personal happiness. We give when we feel full. Life is not supposed to be an endless slog. It’s supposed to be light and easy, once we accept the necessity of some pain. As my granddad used to say “It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken.”.
I have his pipes, and plan to get them all cleaned and start smoking my place up. It’s never too early to start practicing to be the Granddad.
On that note (God, does this guy ever shut up or follow straight lines?) I was looking at DVD’s of all the video I took of my kids when they were little. It doesn’t interest me. But I realized that it will be a BLAST to watch it with grandkids, when they are a certain age.