Justice - Is that the right thing to do?

Dear Friend,

Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity.Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Justice for each of us brings forth a variety of connotations. Some of us think of the law and the judicial system while others of us think of justice as the notion of fairness. Philosophers have pondered the concept of justice since Socrates and Plato. Benjamin Franklin states that we should, "wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty." I believe that viewing justice through the lens of what is morally right and fair will provide some lessons for us this week. We all have the ability to "get away with" many things, but the question we must ask ourselves is, "Are we doing the right thing?" Examples that come to mind include:

• Borrowing supplies from your office
• Leaving the market with unpaid items
• Failing to notify the waiter of your under-charged bill at a restaurant
• Taking your turn to bring treats or volunteer at your school or office - doing your "part"
• Showing gratitude for those who have helped you
• Driving off after you bump a car
• Failing to tip when you receive a service

I believe it is one thing not to notice for hours or days, but it is quite another to be aware of your circumstances and yet do nothing to rectify the situation. It is my experience that these situations always come back to visit us - when we take from others, people take from us. As Sir Isaac Newton taught us in his third law of motion, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Research conducted at UCLA this year indicates that reactions to fairness are hard-wired into our brain. This research is also consistent with the notion that we have an intuitive feeling about what is right and wrong. Listening to this intuition allows us to live just lives filled with integrity.

Take Action Challenge

This week as you move about your life ask yourself, is this the right thing to do? If yes, continue. If even an ounce of you says, no, then readjust so that your actions reflect your inner moral compass. May you have success in your journey.