I believe in good people.
I believe that no matter who you are, you can find happiness if you look or try hard enough.
Happiness means knowing everything will be okay. It is ignoring the “haters” out there and doing what you love most. The people who downgrade you, the people who always remind you something is out of your capabilities, are gone.
With happiness, you become so invigorated that you begin to see the optimism hidden behind everything.
Watching the news, it seems as if good people are rare. All we hear about is someone killing so-and-so or someone else’s house burnt down from arson. If you really step back and look though, good people are everywhere. Any day, at any given time, anyone can be a stranger’s lifeline.
If you have read my past columns, you may have realized being a good person is easy to do. Helping carry someone’s bags to their room, telling a random person they look great today or even holding the door open for someone as they walk through are all great gestures. Tiny, little actions can really build character.
People remember things like hearing, “Thanks, I really appreciate it,” accompanied by a meaningful smile.
I try to respect every person I talk to, no matter what age. My outlook on life used to be that I would respect whomever respected me. If an adult were going to be hateful toward me, they would get the same thing back. While in Athens, surrounded by the beautiful trees and landscape, I have realized the most hateful people need kindness more than anyone.
The other day I was having a conversation with my boyfriend. I hit my head on the edge of the trunk door and when he made a comment, I immediately snapped back with a hateful comment. Instead of fighting me back, he calmly said, “Don’t get mad at me because you just hit your head.” Shockingly, I quickly calmed down and realized how ridiculous people can become so quickly. I had only hit my head, yet I became angry toward him as if it were his fault.
The next time someone tries yelling at you, don’t take it out on him or her. Stay calm and agree with them or say, “I’m sorry.” People look for reasons to fight when they are angry inside.
You never know what someone is going through. I try my hardest to be kind to everyone because of that. Everyone has his or her secrets. I guess my secret is out though: I believe in good people. Who in their right mind would do that?
Meagan Dixon is a freshman studying journalism and a columnist for The Post. If you try to see the silver lining too, email her at md341410@ohiou.edu.
