HAUNTED BY GUILT OF UNCERTAIN ORIGIN

ARE YOU HAUNTED TOO?

As far back as I can remember I’ve been haunted by the Guilt Ghost. I’ve felt I surely have done something for which I deserve to feel guilty, although right now I’m not sure what it was.

I used to try to figure out how this ghost got ahold of me, but I stopped upon the realization I was attempting to scapegoat others, my family particularly. And, guess what? I started feeling about THAT too.

So, makes no difference why our how the ghost got ahold of me. All that matters now is to dispel it.

Oh, I suppose it is of some value to see what might have contributed to the haunting in order to be sure I don’t participate in causing someone else to be haunted.

The surest answer for that issue is simply Love. If we Truly love those around us with empathetic concern, it is unlikely we will give them reason to feel guilty.

It seems some of us were “born to feel guilty”. There may be some philosophic truth to that. Karma is real. Perhaps we are here to learn to dispel karmic guilt from a previous life, and to just finally let it go.

Guilt can have a legitimate purpose. It is to point out something me need to change. So, if I can’t name what that is, why feel guilt? I’ve narrowed it down. I seem to feel guilty for being me (karma?).

Oh wow, that is dumb, but it’s real. Perhaps the ghost is more karma than not. I’ve studied a lot of psychology, so beware — I’m dangerous. Guys like me think they know more than they do.

I’ve heard that psychologists and psychiatrists join their professions to try to figure themselves out. My experience seems to validate this. Fortunately, I’m not a professional in either of those fields. Maybe I’m not too far gone.

Oh, I apologize to any pro psyc of any sort who might see this. Being in your profession I’d hope you identify tongue-in-cheek talk — just kidding, sort of.

I’ve come to realize I am part of a very large group. I’m certainly not alone. Foolishness loves company? Now, that’s weird.

But, a little more seriously, perhaps because of my ghost, I am seeing so many normal, good folks blaming themselves for — who knows what, and perpetually feeling guilty about it, whatever “it” may be.

This widespread haunting by guilt seems to be a bothersome condition affecting many otherwise…