Beautiful Thing no. 1,098,121 (it’s way down there, but still there): Guilt

Not to be confused with Shame which is not at all beautiful, Guilt can produce justice, kindness, and deterrence from evil.  Sure, guilt may be manipulative, and doesn’t feel very nice, but it’s dark nature more often than not seems to give birth to good.  This is, of course, a paradox which instantly makes Guilt intriguing (a very close cousin to Beautiful).  Guilt is visceral.  Guilt is primal.  “I shouldn’t have done that,” can resonate boneshakingly deep within us even if we are otherwise unscathed (or have even profited) by our misdeeds.   You can interpret it as an evolutionary tool that smooths social situations and furthers cooperation and helps ensure species survival or as the Voice of God telling us the difference between righteousness and sin.  Either way, it’s something special, if a bit rough around the edges.

Guilt gets it’s mention in the Tribute to Beautiful Things because it is precisely why I am writing another post.  It has been so long since the last post, that I felt a sense of guilt at my neglecting my quest and abandoning my readers.  Ha ha, “readers”.  Stay tuned for the next post, “Beautiful Thing no. 245:  Inflated Senses of Importance.”