Words with no meaning

Words are just that...words.

I remember a line from the Little Tramp musical: "There are too many words in the world and not enough meaning."

I admit I am guilty of this sometimes, especially lately. But I didn't use to be. I am basically a quiet person, saying only what needs to be said. I'm not much for compliments either, giving or receiving them. You just hear so many platitudes that you sometimes don't know what to believe anymore. Perhaps that's the key: never believe a word anybody says unless it's accompanied by action. I practice this a lot of times, you know. Maybe it makes me a skeptic or a cynic but I see it as self preservation. Being taken in by somebody's word and then later becoming disappointed has too many repercussions in your life that it's better to be cautious.

All this ranting brings up another issue: Trust.

Who do you trust? Can you trust anybody anymore? Well, yes! Yourself. Because, frankly, you really can't rely on anybody else. They have their own lives to lead. Why should they even bother with yours? Yes, I know, because supposedly they care for you. Hmmm, probably. But really (here comes my cynical self again), the reason somebody else bothers with your life is that it serves a purpose in their own. Am I right? I don't think there's pure altruism anymore. Somebody called me altruistic not too long ago. I'm not. Doing something for somebody else makes me happy most of the time. So, in a way, I'm doing it for self gratification.

Oh my goodness, I really AM ranting! But what the heck, I don't do this often anyway. It does feel good to vent. You should try it sometime. The web is my free virtual shrink, since I can't afford a real live one. If you must know, I'm feeling better already even if all this is in the abstract. Something actually did happen to trigger this verbal overflow, so to speak. It all started with words...empty words, I should say. The first time I let it pass 'cause things happen, you know. The second time was enough. When something happens twice you kind of get the idea of how that person really feels, no matter if they say otherwise. However, I've vented (so I'm calm and content now, I guess). I can and am still civil to that person (I'm capable of words, too, after all). But I'm only too aware of what the consequences will be if I believe empty words. So never again.

They say looks can be deceiving...well, words are even more so.