A Lesson to Learn

So, I figured something out. Something very important to me, and I finally figured it out. It was an Eureka moment when all of a sudden things started to come together. And then right after that I wish I hadn't figured it out. Truth sometimes hurts.

Without trying to be self-righteous, I can say that I try to help other people most of the time. And, again, without trying to sound like an angelic saint, I usually don't expect others to pay me back for what I've done for them. With that mindset, I woke up one day and realized I was being manipulated, you know, pitifully manipulated just because of that. I was like a little chess piece being moved around to serve a particular purpose. When the game was won, the purpose was accomplished, I got a kick in the butt. I was done.

Of course I know I wasn't the exception. Everybody got into this kind of situation at some time in their lives. This was just my turn. And I'm learning my lesson very slowly.

My parents always teach me to be good. We believe in the general goodness of life. We believe if we do something good, we will get something good in the end. We respect our elders. I was brought up feeding on stuff like that. Then I came to America, and was dropped into this wonderful world of materialism. And slowly I realize my faith in the goodness of people started to fade away. I got burned out, like this time. Should I blame the society for this?

(to be continued...)