The Karma Connection

Everything is interconnected. Everything you do has an effect on someone else. It’s kind of like a Caprian way of looking at things (Frank Capra directed “It’s a Wonderful Life”). This might also sound like karma. However, the concept of karma is often misunderstood. We tend to think that karma means that people will get what’s coming to them for what they do, but that’s not how it works. Karma isn’t a result; it’s the cause of things. Karma is based on the motivation for what you do. When you do good things, your karma is good. So, it isn’t the result of yours actions. It’s the reason behind your actions.

Still, we have a desire to see that people are punished for "bad" things. This comes from our belief that we live in a just universe. But the fact is, some people will never be punished for doing bad things (at least in this life if you believe in such things). That doesn’t set well with most people. How could bad things go unpunished when good people suffer? We have to make peace with the fact that some people can do bad things and not have any consequence for their actions. Or can they?

You can never be sure what it’s like in someone else’s head. A person would have to have an elaboate network of mental defense mechanisms to continually engage in destructive behavior without their actions effecting them. They might put on a façade and act like they don’t care while they are really struggling inside. They might feel inner tension, extreme anxiety, or might even be making themselves physically sick. But dwelling on whether these people actually feel anything about their actions is a waste of time. They probably need therapy but because they are in deinal they won't pursue it. Instead of focusing on the negative, we should turn our thoughts to more constructive matters, and plow ahead without looking back. If we focus on building up our personal karma then negative people won't be a drain on us.

So, we may live in a karmic universe. We may all get what’s coming to us. It's hard to say for sure, but rest assured, everything you do has an effect on someone else in some way. Just ask any teacher. I can tell you about this firsthand. Sometimes it seems like I’m not getting through to my students and then a student from a prior semester comes and visits and tells me how I changed their life. If this can happen in an environment where students are texting their friends and not paying much attention to what's happening, then I can guarantee that this happens in your everyday life.