“Mom don’t call me a good boy, I don’t like being called that way”, yelled my 10-year boy at me. I stopped what I was reading and stared back at him, perplexed what did he mean by that statement. After a good 10 minutes of interrogating him, I understood he didn’t like being called good, neither he liked being called bad. I tried my best to convince him that it’s nice to be called a good boy, he was not to be the one who would be pushed to believe it. His next question shot at me, almost shot my BP down. “Do you enjoy being good”. I was shaken by the question as I at that moment was lost without knowing what exactly my answer should be. I was talking to my son, meant I had to be extra careful in getting the words right. What I tell him, is going to make an impact on what he would grow into. So, regaining my posture, I convinced him to figure out some other interesting work for himself and then sat down to figure out the right answer that I wanted him to know rather understand.
I got on the mission of finding what the whole concept of “good” would appropriately mean. I searched the famous dictionaries available; I did what I could do the best — Google, read a whole lot of articles around this ideal metaphysical concept. Some would say that which is morally righteous, kindly feeling, kindness, generosity, an unwavering virtue etc. Many more definitions I read, understood, adored but was not able to fit it correctly in a real sense of conveying it to my little boy or convincing my own self.
I left the books, technology all aside and depended on my own being to retrieve the answer. I thought and thought and thought and then I found myself grinning. Goodness or being good meant to treat others the way you would want to treat yourself. What I want in return is what I would want to give. It’s a virtue that’s taught right from the day we would step into the world. Be good, do good but at the end of all that is taught, goodness is a powerful choice one can make . It is a habit that one as a choice cultivates. Goodness might not pay you back always, but it creates the powerful essence of happiness in one’s own soul, which cannot be bought or bargained. Goodness, like love is an extension of one’s own self, of loving others and being kind to others. Finally, good or bad, all virtues are a choice an individual make. Just making the right one is all that matters. Right now, I agree I would not be able to convey the metaphysical concept of what I derived to my little boy, but as a mother I know, he would make the right choice as he grows, the choice of being good.
Smile Always 