I am walking through the school hallways to my classroom as a loud voice is projected over the intercom. It is the voice of Dr. T, our elementary school principal, reciting the daily announcements before class begins. I don’t pay much attention to what he is saying, too distracted by the bright blue backpack of the girl walking in front of me. But as I realize the announcements are coming to an end, I stop and listen for him to recite those eight words of wisdom as he does every morning. “…and always remember, kids, the Golden Rule: treat others as you wish to be treated”. Hearing those words every day of my elementary school childhood has finally clicked in my head, as I make a promise to myself to live my life by that one vital rule.
For many centuries the Golden Rule has been an influential idea in society throughout a diverse range of cultures. It has taught others to construct their behavior in a way that they would expect to receive from their neighbors. This rule has personally influenced me and values that I now believe. It has also led me to believe in karma and the idea that what comes around goes around. The Golden Rule plays into this belief in that the way you treat people will affect you later on in life. If you treat others poorly, your actions will eventually come back to bite you. So, one must in turn follow the Golden Rule. By treating others the way you wish to be treated, bad karma will not occur. In fact, it may even result in an upshot of some good karma. How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. This I believe.