The Duality of Goodness

“I just really like it!” – Madeline Bracken

The Duality of Goodness

“I’m really tired of living in an apartment!”  He said to me as we were leaving the home he and his wife had made an offer to purchase.  “She isn’t.  She likes it!”

“What is it you like about it?” I asked her as I turned my head slightly to warmly acknowledge her.

“I like having all of the people around.”  Madeline said, before continuing.  “There are five kids that come over just about every day.  We spend time playing and cooking together. It’s really great for our daughter to have so many friends around.  I just really like it!”

We had been together for a couple of days walking through house after house, interacting around their likes and dislikes.  So, Madeline’s response didn’t surprise me at all!

I turned my head toward her again and said, “I think you’d feel the same no matter where you live!”

I watched this extraordinary person examine each property we explored.  I listened to her compare it to the place in which they currently live.  As a result, I know there are attributes in other homes she’d enjoy, that would make their lives together a little easier.  And, she’s developed the ability to live joyfully with what she has and whom she’s with, without pretending.

Pretending is to cause, or attempt to cause, what is not so, to seem so.  It is to act as if something were true, to be insincere about something.  Madeline is not a pretender.  She lives a duality of goodness.  She actively makes improvements to her surroundings while experiencing the good continually.

First, Madeline enthusiastically seeks and focuses on the good things she sees in front of her.  She looks for the positive attributes of people, places and things.  And, her focus is clear and not blind.  She can see shortcomings.  She simply does not allow them to dominate her view.

Second, she expands her view to create a positive future.  Madeline takes action on a daily basis to improve the present while working to create successful outcomes in her future.  She constantly gives encouragement to everyone around her while working to improve her personal skills so she can give more.

Give more?  She’d say she receives more because of all the great people she comes into contact with.  And, then as if on cue, to confirm this private thought, Madeline’s husband responded to my earlier statement.

“Yes!  She would!  She would feel the same anywhere!”  He said.

I smiled, feeling fortunate to have learned about the duality of goodness from a master teacher.  Now, all too soon, my tutelage was ending.  We had completed our drive to the airport. 

We said our goodbyes and I wished them a safe and happy trip while knowing it would be a happy one! Madeline would continue focusing on the good she saw on their journey, while offering encouragement and a positive experience to everyone she came into contact with.