Growing up in the 60s and 70s was a different time. Things seemed a certain way. Gray areas weren’t really talked about. I grew up thinking that good people:

Wore nice clothes.

Had clean houses and nice cars.

Had perfect teeth, clear complexions, thick hair and were pretty.

Were smart and did good in school.

Had artistic abilities or were athletic.

I thought you could tell a good person solely on the way they looked. I assumed also they had to act a certain way. I thought nice people never got angry or used profanity. They were just always nice.

As I got older, I still believed that concept and assumed that I did not fall into any of the categories so I thought that I could not possibly be a good person. So I tried harder and longer and always fell short.

Then I reached a certain age and the reality hit me. Those external parameters do not predict the goodness of a person. The outside cover can be very deceitful. Oh how pretty it looks but the inside can be so ugly.

Luckily I learned that good people:

Are genuine…they are the same inside and out. Their heart is pure.

They are human which is to say they can get mad or upset. They can cry and feel out of control at times.

They can swear, sometimes a lot. Maybe they have a wicked sense of humor.

They may have tattoos and/or piercings. They just may look different than you.

Money does not automatically make a person good. Fancy clothes and things are fine but a person’s real heart is their true value of richness.

Beauty does not dictate one’s goodness. I have learned not to covet beauty but rather look for cultivated inner beauty.

Good people can have all the things I discussed above. Having those outward visuals are not the only indicators though. As I get older and as our world gets nastier, I find myself desperate for good and kind people. I see them everywhere now.

The young girl at the check out. The waiter at the diner. The person on the other end of a customer service phone call. They don’t have to fit a similar mold. They are strong and warrior-like because they have been in the fires of life and walked through.

Their experiences created in them not only strength but empathy and genuine concern. Many good people have seen some bad things but they did not allow that to corrode their hearts.

Anyone can be unkind. It’s the easiest thing in the world. But being kind and of good heart is, as I always say, is a super power. A super power that is not limited to certain socioeconomic level or to people who look a specific way.

I admire the strong humans that can show true kindness, long for justice and are ready to fight for what’s right. Gone are my unrealistic expectations of not only myself but those around me.

No longer will I judge that book by its cover. The trueness of a person’s heart is beneath the surface, past the battle scars. As I work on my own warrior kindness I shall celebrate all who choose to not allow life to bring them down! I admire all the superheroes I know and all the ones left to meet.

Stay strong and stay kind. We need that more in our world today!