In my English Lit class we are currently reading a book titled Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser. In one part of the novel, two of the main characters declare their love for each other, spend lots of time together... but don't quite yet begin an affair. But as a result of this, the man's wife divorces him, and the woman's friend and provider tells her to leave. The catch? - the wife and friend made their decisions based purely on word of mouth rather than any concrete proof. On the other hand, while a true affair hadn't blossomed at the time, there is no doubt it would have, making the actions of the accusers somewhat legitimate. Being a Naturalist work, the novel also seems to imply that these actoins are somewhat inherent in our nature. Its something we do even if we don't mean to.

Anyway, the reason I bring this confusing tale is that I find myself in a similar situation. I made a decision a few days ago about a friend, a decision that was certainly rash and arguably unecessary. I've been thinking a lot about it since then. Like the characters in the book, I made my choice based solely on implications, assumptions, and the words of a few people. And yet, as stupid as that was, something keeps telling me that in the long run, perhaps the choice I made was the right one, and I just haven't realized it yet.

One thing I've learned from reading Carrie is that the best thing to do is to stand by your decisions and live with the repercussions. I'm certainly prepared to do that, though I wish nature wouldn't be so cruel.