Montana Jones

Montana n: A state of the northwest United States bordering on Canada. Admitted as the 41st state in 1889. The fourth largest state in the union, it includes vast prairies and numerous majestic mountain ranges.
Syn: Treasure State, Big Sky Country, Last Best Place.

Jones n: slang. An addiction or very deep craving.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Moral compass

When you learn something deeply personal about someone. Learn that it will affect the time you spend together and the way you interact. Do you stop spending time because the relationship just became more challenging?

For me that depends on character. There are certainly people in this world that are not worth spending energy on. The selfish, the shallow, the stupid, the greedy, the (emotionally) needy.

What if the person is new to your life and the challenge includes getting to know them along with building a history with them. Do you take up the challenge?

There are lots of people in this world. Not quite so many in Montana but still lots of people. I am confident I would find others if I were to discard this one.

My moral compass tells me that the right thing to do is to take up the challenge. To suddenly turn and run when someone opens up is cowardly and insensitive. However I also believe in looking out for number one. I don't like the idea of entangling myself with someone else's problems. Especially when the 'what's in it for me' factor has not been fully weighed. Leaving would make me an asshole. I've been an asshole before; it's actually quite comfortable, especially when looking out for number one.

In the end I am going to follow the moral compass. It's the only decent tool I have for charting a course. I'll figure out what's in it for me as I go along. Most people have something good to offer. I'll be cautious though. This is not a relationship to throw myself at recklessly. Like they say about skydiving and motorcycles: dress for the crash not the cruise.