They are my father who was raised in the violence and poverty of the south side of Chicago, whose gruff exterior belies the soul of a man so gentle that cats follow him when he walks. They are my friend Richard, a mechanic whose garage is always open to friends needing advice or work on their cars, or advice and work on their lives. They are my husband, Bruce, whose kindness, gentleness and goodness keep me in awe as he serves my children and me. Instead of hearing and telling their stories, we are deluged with the evil in the world. We are told that nice guys finish last.
Nice guys are weak guys.
Nice guys are boring guys. Lies that lead boys to become mean and girls to date losers. We listen to the tempting whisper of Thanatos. Individually, we can not stop the wars, the bigotry and the hatred that destroys our world. But, each of us can make a choice of what stories we believe, what values we live and how to meet the craving that beg for satisfaction.