I'm not sure about the Karma stuff or the 'Reap what you sow' philosophy.
It should work both ways.
What if you're a thoroughly decent, loyal, honest, kind, hard-working compassionate citizen and do your best all your life? You do the right thing, always. So you sowed good seed, to benefit everyone.
Sadly you don't always get a good crop at the end of the season.
Do you have to be a bad person for Karma to find you and get you, duff you up, make life difficult? Because Karma doesn't seem able to distinguish good from bad.
Karma finds nice people and throws heaps of nasty stuff at them.
There's no reward for being decent, often no recognition at all, yet we all know undeserving people who, if they fall in manure, roses bloom for them shortly afterwards.
I fall in the very same pile after doing unrecognised good and I stink for the foreseeable future.
Goodness is its own reward?
Hmmm. That's a hard sell - but I suppose I can sleep easier at night.
According to Buddhism/Hinduism, Karma isn’t seen as a system of cosmic punishment or reward in the way we often think of it. It's more like cause and effect, unfolding across time, sometimes far beyond what we can see.
Karma doesn’t guarantee immediate outcomes, nor does it promise that good actions will always be met with visible rewards in this lifetime. But every action, word, and thought plants a seed in the mind. When we act with compassion, integrity, and kindness, we shape not just the world, but ourselves. We cultivate peace, patience, and wisdom within.
If we begin to expect that good things should happen to us because we’ve been kind, loyal, or compassionate, that expectation itself can quietly become ego. Wanting our virtue to be rewarded is natural, but it can also tie us to suffering, especially when life doesn’t reflect our hopes.
The aim isn't to be good so that good things happen to us. The aim is to act in ways that reduce suffering, because that is the nature of awakening. We choose compassion, not because it guarantees ease, but because it aligns with the truth of interconnection. And that alignment changes us, even if the world doesn't seem to.
Yes, goodness might go unnoticed. Yes, people may fall in manure and rise with roses. But if we keep our hearts clear and unburdened by bitterness, we gain something deeper than external reward. Maybe it's not the kind of harvest we imagined, but it's a freedom that can't be taken away.
Considering others and caring for others compassionately is rewarding in itself. When we show loyalty to our husbands and chose them first over other men who are interested in you ..we strengthen the marriage. The choice is easy. When we are strong in ourselves and take the higher moral ground the result is always a positive. Thank you for sharing an insightful piece on loyalty and the path to righteousness!
I know it can be difficult for us to see others get what seem like rewards, especially when they act in ways that increase suffering for us/the world. And we are also often tempted to ask why things aren't going better for us, despite the fact that we are doing "all the right things." I have a longer-term perspective than just this one lifetime - we couldn't possibly learn all we need to learn in one life, and the lessons we need to learn are carried over through several (or many) lives, because most of us really do need that long to become more awake.
As for those who choose to make things worse for us, well, I have two ideas. It could be that they are just not yet able to see that compassion is the way. One day, perhaps, they will. (And we, too.) The fact that they can't do better should draw us into a more compassionate approach when dealing with them. (Not easy, I know.) Until then, in the ongoing process that is Life, they will have to deal with the consequences of their choices, be it sooner or later.
Or, it could be that they have consciously signed up to do these (bad) things to us in order to help us learn the lessons we need to learn. We are all important, of course, but we are also pretty small in the grand scheme of things, so how can we imagine we know how everything fits in, or how things are meant to go, or what it all means?
Tricky, challenging stuff. But loyalty - integrity - is foundational, so thanks for writing this.
You’re right. It’s incredibly hard to hold both pain and perspective at the same time, especially when we feel like we’ve been walking the “right” path and still face hardship, while others seem to coast or even thrive by sowing harm.
But, like you said, we’re playing a much longer game (perhaps even across lifetimes). And that sort of belief helps soften the urgency to make sense of it all right now.
Grateful for your insight and your reminder that none of this is random. Integrity may not always be the quickest path, but it’s the one that keeps us whole.
Thanks again for adding such thoughtful clarity to this. And thank you for reading :)
Damn. This one didn’t pull punches—and it shouldn’t. Loyalty isn’t a relic from the past; it’s the scaffolding that keeps relationships, communities, and even our own self-respect from collapsing.
The bit about “choosing your partner again and again, even on mundane Tuesday nights”? Oof. That hit like a Zen koan wrapped in a grocery bill.
And yes—Right View isn’t about being a saint. It’s about being awake while making real-world decisions. You don’t have to believe in karma to know betrayal tends to circle back like a pissed-off boomerang.
Grateful for this word. Loyal to those who remind us what actually matters.
Yup, Loyalty isn't decorative, and definitely not optional.
It's the quiet architecture holding everything up when the fireworks fade and you're just two people folding laundry or figuring out what’s for dinner.
Thanks for showing up with this kind of honesty. Loyalty to what matters, indeed.
"Because if we’re just sprinting from one short-term win to the next, cutting corners, taking advantage of people, and ignoring the cost our actions impose on others, we might eventually win a few rounds, sure. But the price? It’s coming." This sums up my opinion of the unchecked greed in Corporate America. They all think they are winning. They are, but at the cost of the very foundations they are built on. You can only take for so long until everything crumbles. The check is on the way to the table and even with all they have, it's not even remotely enough to cover it.
You said it perfectly. No amount of short-term gain can outrun the long-term cost of unchecked greed. It’s especially disheartening to see it happen at such a large scale, where the fallout affects so many.
I’m really glad the piece resonated with you, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your insight :)
This is a fantastic peice!! I absolutely love the title!! 🤣😂🤣 its really awesome!! In my opinion in todays world Loyalty is one of the most undervalued quality there is!! I find people just dont respect it anymore... not even couples amongst eachother!! In the small town I live now you have actual married people swinging groups together!! Its so bad I recieved warnings from others about it!! 🤯 on the surface of this pretty place you would never guess its a thing!! But underneath the surface theres a whole other world where couples are exchanging spouses for a night of fun!! 🫣😬😑!! Loyalty is one of the most important puzzle peices of love!! Without it how can you respect and commit to your partner?!! This was such a well written peice!! And a really important one too!!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Tara. I'm glad you like it.
Indeed. Loyalty really is undervalued these days and it shows up in so many unexpected places. It’s wild how sometimes what’s happening beneath the surface tells a completely different story
I was reflecting on loyalty just the other day and what it says about a person. You know the old saying "when someone shows you who they are, believe them"? When someone lacks loyalty, walk away. Better yet run!
I'm not sure about the Karma stuff or the 'Reap what you sow' philosophy.
It should work both ways.
What if you're a thoroughly decent, loyal, honest, kind, hard-working compassionate citizen and do your best all your life? You do the right thing, always. So you sowed good seed, to benefit everyone.
Sadly you don't always get a good crop at the end of the season.
Do you have to be a bad person for Karma to find you and get you, duff you up, make life difficult? Because Karma doesn't seem able to distinguish good from bad.
Karma finds nice people and throws heaps of nasty stuff at them.
There's no reward for being decent, often no recognition at all, yet we all know undeserving people who, if they fall in manure, roses bloom for them shortly afterwards.
I fall in the very same pile after doing unrecognised good and I stink for the foreseeable future.
Goodness is its own reward?
Hmmm. That's a hard sell - but I suppose I can sleep easier at night.
Thank you for your though-provoking comment.
According to Buddhism/Hinduism, Karma isn’t seen as a system of cosmic punishment or reward in the way we often think of it. It's more like cause and effect, unfolding across time, sometimes far beyond what we can see.
Karma doesn’t guarantee immediate outcomes, nor does it promise that good actions will always be met with visible rewards in this lifetime. But every action, word, and thought plants a seed in the mind. When we act with compassion, integrity, and kindness, we shape not just the world, but ourselves. We cultivate peace, patience, and wisdom within.
If we begin to expect that good things should happen to us because we’ve been kind, loyal, or compassionate, that expectation itself can quietly become ego. Wanting our virtue to be rewarded is natural, but it can also tie us to suffering, especially when life doesn’t reflect our hopes.
The aim isn't to be good so that good things happen to us. The aim is to act in ways that reduce suffering, because that is the nature of awakening. We choose compassion, not because it guarantees ease, but because it aligns with the truth of interconnection. And that alignment changes us, even if the world doesn't seem to.
Yes, goodness might go unnoticed. Yes, people may fall in manure and rise with roses. But if we keep our hearts clear and unburdened by bitterness, we gain something deeper than external reward. Maybe it's not the kind of harvest we imagined, but it's a freedom that can't be taken away.
All of it true,be loyal to your self first and you can be loyal to others..
Indeed :) Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this.
Considering others and caring for others compassionately is rewarding in itself. When we show loyalty to our husbands and chose them first over other men who are interested in you ..we strengthen the marriage. The choice is easy. When we are strong in ourselves and take the higher moral ground the result is always a positive. Thank you for sharing an insightful piece on loyalty and the path to righteousness!
Indeed. Choosing compassion, loyalty, and moral strength often leads to the most meaningful outcomes, both in relationships and in personal growth.
I'm grateful the message of the article resonated with you and I appreciate you sharing your perspective, Elizabeth!
I agree with you, Urban Monk.
I know it can be difficult for us to see others get what seem like rewards, especially when they act in ways that increase suffering for us/the world. And we are also often tempted to ask why things aren't going better for us, despite the fact that we are doing "all the right things." I have a longer-term perspective than just this one lifetime - we couldn't possibly learn all we need to learn in one life, and the lessons we need to learn are carried over through several (or many) lives, because most of us really do need that long to become more awake.
As for those who choose to make things worse for us, well, I have two ideas. It could be that they are just not yet able to see that compassion is the way. One day, perhaps, they will. (And we, too.) The fact that they can't do better should draw us into a more compassionate approach when dealing with them. (Not easy, I know.) Until then, in the ongoing process that is Life, they will have to deal with the consequences of their choices, be it sooner or later.
Or, it could be that they have consciously signed up to do these (bad) things to us in order to help us learn the lessons we need to learn. We are all important, of course, but we are also pretty small in the grand scheme of things, so how can we imagine we know how everything fits in, or how things are meant to go, or what it all means?
Tricky, challenging stuff. But loyalty - integrity - is foundational, so thanks for writing this.
You’re right. It’s incredibly hard to hold both pain and perspective at the same time, especially when we feel like we’ve been walking the “right” path and still face hardship, while others seem to coast or even thrive by sowing harm.
But, like you said, we’re playing a much longer game (perhaps even across lifetimes). And that sort of belief helps soften the urgency to make sense of it all right now.
Grateful for your insight and your reminder that none of this is random. Integrity may not always be the quickest path, but it’s the one that keeps us whole.
Thanks again for adding such thoughtful clarity to this. And thank you for reading :)
Damn. This one didn’t pull punches—and it shouldn’t. Loyalty isn’t a relic from the past; it’s the scaffolding that keeps relationships, communities, and even our own self-respect from collapsing.
The bit about “choosing your partner again and again, even on mundane Tuesday nights”? Oof. That hit like a Zen koan wrapped in a grocery bill.
And yes—Right View isn’t about being a saint. It’s about being awake while making real-world decisions. You don’t have to believe in karma to know betrayal tends to circle back like a pissed-off boomerang.
Grateful for this word. Loyal to those who remind us what actually matters.
Yup, Loyalty isn't decorative, and definitely not optional.
It's the quiet architecture holding everything up when the fireworks fade and you're just two people folding laundry or figuring out what’s for dinner.
Thanks for showing up with this kind of honesty. Loyalty to what matters, indeed.
Loyalty is profound. Thank you for writing this beautiful ode to it. <3
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Stephanie :)
"Because if we’re just sprinting from one short-term win to the next, cutting corners, taking advantage of people, and ignoring the cost our actions impose on others, we might eventually win a few rounds, sure. But the price? It’s coming." This sums up my opinion of the unchecked greed in Corporate America. They all think they are winning. They are, but at the cost of the very foundations they are built on. You can only take for so long until everything crumbles. The check is on the way to the table and even with all they have, it's not even remotely enough to cover it.
Great piece!
You said it perfectly. No amount of short-term gain can outrun the long-term cost of unchecked greed. It’s especially disheartening to see it happen at such a large scale, where the fallout affects so many.
I’m really glad the piece resonated with you, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your insight :)
This is a fantastic peice!! I absolutely love the title!! 🤣😂🤣 its really awesome!! In my opinion in todays world Loyalty is one of the most undervalued quality there is!! I find people just dont respect it anymore... not even couples amongst eachother!! In the small town I live now you have actual married people swinging groups together!! Its so bad I recieved warnings from others about it!! 🤯 on the surface of this pretty place you would never guess its a thing!! But underneath the surface theres a whole other world where couples are exchanging spouses for a night of fun!! 🫣😬😑!! Loyalty is one of the most important puzzle peices of love!! Without it how can you respect and commit to your partner?!! This was such a well written peice!! And a really important one too!!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Tara. I'm glad you like it.
Indeed. Loyalty really is undervalued these days and it shows up in so many unexpected places. It’s wild how sometimes what’s happening beneath the surface tells a completely different story
I was reflecting on loyalty just the other day and what it says about a person. You know the old saying "when someone shows you who they are, believe them"? When someone lacks loyalty, walk away. Better yet run!
Couldn't have said it better, Pat. It’s a wonderful reminder to trust actions over words. Thank you for reading and engaging :)
This is beautifully written. no frills - straight in the face. Well done .
I'm happy it resonated with you, Sam. Thank you :)