As you may have noticed, most people become better people as they get older.
All of us make plenty of mistakes (especially when we are young), however as we mature we start thinking more about the needs of the people around us, our community, and the planet. We join organizations which become stronger forces to do good things.
A few people prefer to remain selfish, to take advantage of other people's goodwill, to not seek help for their addictions, to steal and lie, and thereby become a burden on their family and on society.
Some may end up in jail, and some find a way to continue to be self-serving individuals for their entire lives --especially if they have money.
In every country we have rich and powerful people who think they are above the law and that the other people in the world are beneath them. It is said that Russia's Putin is the richest man in the world, using his dictatorship to extract commissions from every profitable business venture in his country.
Regardless if we believe in an afterlife or not, or what particular religion or political organization we belong, everyone around us sees us for who we truly are.
Our closest friends and family will remember us for who we are, even more than our accomplishments. Our values, our kindnesses, and the good example we set by thinking first before reacting to a problem, will likely live on far longer than how much money we made, what we owned, or what titles we earned.
A little bit of our values and attitudes will live on forever through those around us, as they will pass on our good traits generation after generation.
Richard Baker
Dumaguete City