Where Do We Draw The Line?
The law knows we are flawed yet expects us not to play judge, jury, and executioner when aggrieved. Our spouses know that we’ll likely find others attractive but demand that we stay faithful. Look around, and you’ll see that society expects and hopes that we do not cross certain lines despite our flawed nature.
Healthy expectations and boundaries ensure order. They are necessary because we need to balance emotion and logic to preserve our humanity. Emotions make us human, and logic — the basis for healthy expectations — ensures we live as humans. For instance, my instinct to be incensed by betrayal is proof that I’m human, but violently retaliating would make me a brute. This suggests that my right to react must be guided by common sense and self-control.
But beyond the generic lines drawn by society, we need to set specific boundaries for ourselves. For example, “What am I never going to say to this person irrespective of what they do?” “Who’s never going to hear about this?” “Where will I never do to get ahead?”
Creating our own boundaries becomes even more critical when we realise that we may move forward from situations where we acted poorly, but the past may never really seem like the past. Instead, it may become a dark cloud that hangs over our relationships, conscience, and self-concept.
Of course, we must learn to extend grace and forgiveness to ourselves because we’ll make mistakes. But I think it’s prudent that we constantly ask ourselves this question as we navigate life’s murky waters: “what line am I unwilling to cross?”
Day 6 of the Not Enough Writers 30-Day Writing Challenge
