Am I a good human being?

I have been thinking a bit about what is the measure of a good human being.  I am thinking about personality, morality, ethics, actions, reactions, and intentions.  And through all this I don’t know if I can call myself a good human being.  But, I won’t call myself a bad human being because I know I am not.

As I examine myself, I see someone who tries to be good.  I am someone who consciously seeks to do things that are right, just, and selfless.  But then is that the definition of good?  And as I see this and think about it, I notice that I am someone who intends to partake in actions and thoughts that are positive, but it doesn’t always happen.  Is this a personal fault or a fundamental human struggle?

If it is a personal fault, then there is area for improvement.  There are ways in which I can be a better person, ways that will move me closer to being a good human being.  I do know this to be true.  As a self-reflective (and a somewhat highly self-critical) person, I can tell you most of those area that need improvement.  My quickness to judge, my poor reactions, my times of moral or ethical weakness, and of course my relative cowardice to stand up to things I feel are wrong, but are just too much work or too laden with judgment and conflict to vehemently oppose.  And I do work to improve those areas, to make myself better, but the road is long and constant and never-ending.

Which makes me think there are some fundamental human struggles that we must all undertake as part of our journey through.  Most people, I suppose, wrestle with moral dilemmas and questions of faith in what is right and wrong all the time.  But how do others engage in those internal battles?  Are their struggles manifested externally like my own?  And of course there is the existential question of “why?”  What purpose is there in constant struggle to be a better person?  Perhaps it is to make you a better a person.  As Frederick Douglass said, “Without struggle, there is no progress.”  Yet, I question what end this means is moving towards.

Regardless of these fundamental questions, I must say that I am working and making daily progress towards being a good human being.  I believe a large number of my peers and friends are better at this than I am, but I doing alright.

I do know that if the Hindus are right and we keep returning to Earth until we get it “right,” I have at least one more trip ahead of me.  So now it’s my job to improve as much as I can while I have the opportunity of this life to live.