Words To Not Live By

One of the things I learned after graduating high school, after much disappointment with the way things were (a mistaken assumption, I assure you,) was the danger of the word "should". "Should" should be abolished (well, used a lot less in our minds, anyway).

I found that when I thought of what "should be," I was nearly always disappointed. The disappointment almost always led to anger, the anger to unruly or socially unacceptable behavior, and most often regret. That's not a happy place to visit, much less to live.

These days I find life much more appealing if I avoid the thought of any form of the word. I avoid thinking of the past's "should have", the present's and the future's "should". People tend to disappoint me less when I don't apply the words to their behavior. I hope that I cause less problems with others when I say, "I did", "I do", or "I will", at least its more decisive.

Let me tell everyone out there, don't let others tell you that you should or shouldn't. That's being manipulative, kind of like, I guess, I'm being. But I really think my manipulations will make us all happier. ;)