bad guys

i don't mind being the bad guy if it's for a reason.

most of life is made up of choices.  what to eat, what to wear, when to leave for work, how to handle a friendship, what to plan for the holidays... everything is a choice.

some of our choices are for ourselves, but some are for others. and sometimes that makes you the bad guy. the villain.

my puppy, Luna, is awesome, but if i let her, she will chew on some very dangerous things.  i make a choice for her, one that is in her best interest, keeping her from harm.  i'm sure she doesn't appreciate it, in her mind i am only keepin' her from all of the fun things in this world.  i know the truth, but her puppy brain doesn't realize it.  i'm the bad guy.

sometimes this happens with peps too.  there are moments in our lives in which we have absolute clarity - knowing that if we do not make a choice, someone we care about will not make it for themselves.  this is a sticky situation, i'm not gonna lie.  are we removing the right of each individual to make a decision for themselves?  maybe.  i guess it would depend on what type of decision is being made.  i am speaking mostly from the perspective of loved ones.  we have those in our lives that will continually and systematically make poor decisions, or choices that will only hurt them in the end.  do we have the right to make the decision for them?

i don't really know the answer to this.  i can say that i have made that choice for those that i cared about in the past.  sometimes it's expressing concern, sometimes it's talking through a situation, and sometimes it's removing them from harm, even if that means hurting them, in the short run, but really doing what's best for them in the long run.

the hard part is, if you do that, make a decision that may hurt someone, but ultimately is best for them, rarely will you get a thank you.  you will face resentment, anger, and sometimes even hate.  there's always a chance though, that eventually they will realize that your decision was selfless and for their own good.

since Luna is a dog, she won't ever reach that point of realization... some humans may eventually get it, but if not, that's okay.   i've been the bad guy before, and when i feel that i truly know what's right for someone i'm willing to bite that bullet.

cheers to all of the "bad guys" who have made lives better, it's a tough road to walk.