Complacency 

Author Unknown

I once told a man that I no longer voted.

He responded by telling me this.
The choice of whether I voted or not was why he waded through rice paddies, toted guns, and fought battles.

It wasn't long afterward that I began to vote again.

I once told a man a lie.

He responded by telling me this.
All of the decisions that he made were based upon the words that I spoke. 

I have long since told the truth.

I once became upset over a gift I received, 
because it wasn't what I wanted.

The giver saw the disappointment 
in my eyes and told me this.
He chose the most valuable gift he could find, because he felt I should have it.

I am since very joyful over each gift that I receive. 

A man once told me a secret
which I quietly whispered in another friend's ear.

The man told me this, 
after hearing his own secret repeated.
The reason he told me the secret was 
because he trusted me, not my friend.

I no longer take trust so lightly. 

I once gave a gift to a friend and she cried.

I told her it was just a small gift I had found.
Her response was that it was not the gift, 
it was that I had thought of her.

I now give gifts often.

The shiny coin was not to be mine, 
so I had been told.
But on my way out the door, 
it found its way in my hand.
When it was discovered that I had stolen the coin, 
I was quietly taken aside.

The owner of the coin told me this.
Integrity is given with a choice. 

I have since chosen to stand with integrity. 

Once I told a man of all of my dreams.
He smiled warmly and even chuckled
then asked if I ever planned on living any of them.

I now choose the spending of 
my days very differently. 

I watched a man daily as he walked 
...head down...so focused.

I was curious and inquired as to 
why he never looked up.

The look on his face was one of surprise, but he responded.

His world was so structured that he 
didn't have to look where he placed his foot
and there was nothing else to look at.

I make it a point to never stare at my feet, 
for fear of creating tunnels. 
I wanted so much to merely be myself, 
going unnoticed and not draw attention. 

And I was told this.
The fact that you do not conform 
makes you stand out all the more.
I'm still thinking about that one.

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