We do like to play little games with ourselves, after all, they do say, if you always pretend to be good then in the end even God will believe you.
I glanced in the bathroom mirror and became a little agitated, noticing my halo was becoming more and more tarnished, I gave it a little shift to the left which lent it a more whimsical look, just to prove I wasn’t perfect.
Going for my daily walk I tried to avoid Mrs.Peabody by crossing over to the other side of the street, but she spotted me, and so I was forced to smile and voice pleasantries, thinking, what a boring, pompous woman you are.
Now there was someone I would never try to avoid, as Mary and Jack came into view, I have never understood what she saw in him, I guess some guys are just born lucky, I gave them a huge smile as they walked by, glancing back to get a view of Mary’s exquisite behind and shapely legs.
I felt a bit peckish so decided to stop off at the bakery, where I chatted politely with the baker while purchasing three chocolate-filled croissants, noticing dowdy Mrs. Jones with her little brat looking wistfully at the baked items, which they couldn’t afford, I hurridly exited and headed home where I hungrily wolfed the croissants.
That night glancing in the mirror I noticed my halo was even more tarnished than this morning, and I failed to understand why, as I had been very careful to be extra polite to everyone I had met that day.
Lensdiary 
Well at least you didn’t come right out and specifically adimit, to them, all that inner whining
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I like that expression, Larry, ‘inner whining’ indeed.
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We all fall short. Don’t get your halo in a snag. Fall back on the blood of Jesus.
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I agree we’re all human, and it’s tough to live up to ideals. My halo has been in a snag quite a few times.
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This was great! Our thoughts and hearts cannot be hidden even when we ‘zip our lips’.
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Thanks, Susan. That was the point I was trying to make. It’s what’s in our thoughts and heart that counts not superficialities.
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Whenever I was foolish enough to mention to my mother some virtuous act of mine (as distinct from the vast majority of mine being of the other kind from her point of view) in hope of receiving praise, she would raise an eyebrow and say’ Don’t let that halo slip down and choke you’.
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Ha, ha. Mothers, are always there to keep us on the straight and narrow. My mother’s favorite prayer was “God give me strength”.
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Ah, the difference between politeness and loving your neighbor as yourself.
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I know, Mimi. Loving your neighbor has to come from the heart and mind, and not just to keep the peace.
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Nice to have the halo become an indicator, like an app on the phone.
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I was thinking along those exact lines, Reena. But then decided it would lead to us becoming more judgemental of others.
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Here it is judging our own thought process.
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Contradictory thinking seems to be inherent to humans.
Great Six.
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Thanks, Spira. Yes, it’s the veneer of civilization. If our hearts and minds can’t change we go down a slippery slope when that veneer collapses, for whatever reason.
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At least he still has it on 🤷
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Good point, Bernadette, he’s hanging in there, till the glow diminishes completely.
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Hypocrisy rules!
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Exactly. ceayr, it’s a bit like politics.
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There’s none so blind as he who will not see! Well told tale.
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Thanks, Dorahak, yes, more intent on our own creature comforts than involving ourselves with others.
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Those chocolate croissants sound tasty. I like the ending. Apparently, no matter how polite one is nor how much one pretends nor how many croissants one eats God will know.
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Exactly, Frank, God knows our hearts, and he knows chocolate croissants are one of my many weaknesses.
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i was once told i could put body language in an email…sounds like this guy great post
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Thanks, UP. Body language in an email, know that’s an interesting thought.
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May I suggest you read your own words, they may just give you a clue as to where you went wrong!
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Sorry, Keith, but I am just a superficial individual holding on to the veneer of civilization, and my own creature comforts to the detriment of my soul.
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I had a young guy tell me once, “You know how people have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other one telling them what to do? Well, I have a devil on both shoulders.”
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That’s an interesting supposition, Gary. If I had a devil on each shoulder, would I act twice as bad, or just consider the lesser of two evils. I would imagine I would get less peace as they would be constantly quarreling instead of debating.
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Yes, make an interesting short story. As he got older, I think he found his angel, after some misery from the devil’s consequences. Don’t we all though?
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That Inner Voice causes no end of problems, Imnobody, some days it can be there, constantly, causing no end of problems.
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Thanks for visiting and commenting, Tom. You can call me Len, short for Leonard. Very true, but what would we do without it.
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My pleasure, Len.
We would probably be rather bored without the Inner Voice, thinking about it!
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Excellent Six*
I identified with your MC this week. Surely the halo’s value is to remind us that a single perspective on the world around us and the people how make it up is crippling in the worst way! To believe the world is only as our first (and preferred) interpretation deprives one of so much in life.
* the kind of tiny, little story that gets the Reader to think, ‘I know how they feel’.
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Ha, the perennial question. Is there such a thing as universal truth? What a moral dilemma.
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That’s a nice story, it would be great if we had a way to measure the goodness and/or badness towards others.
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I think refining our conscience is a good start. Thanks for commenting and visiting, Elizabeth.
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i love this, highly relatable.
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Thank you, Audrine. There’s good and bad in all of us. May our light gain the upper hand.
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i’m with you, Len. these inner talks we have within, they impact who we are.
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