This is quite an easy question to ask, but not an easy one to answer. It is a question that points out to the complexities of life which we will only come to understand after we have been pained, wounded and scarred.

Bad things happen to good people because they are the chosen ones. It’s the good people who have the ability and capability to withstand the test of time and become better persons. That’s how life sees them.

I’m not saying that bad people will never become good and better. There’s always the possibility, yes. But Life is also a skilled gambler which mostly places its bet on the good cards because it sees a bigger chance of winning on those. In other words, when Life chooses you, it sees you a winner in the making, and would then start training you to become better, or to become the best you could be. How?

First, Life will make you into a knife constantly sharpened by the roughness of stone. It surely hurts. It would even make you bleed. But later on, it is that same roughness that would definitely make you tough. And when times get rough, the tough gets going.

Second, Life will make you into a boat, and will teach you how to go against the tide and at the same time dance with the harshness of the wind. You will stumble and fall, but Life would see to it that you’d continue to sail in order for you to reach your own shore.

Third, Life will turn you into a nail constantly hammered by the carpenter’s hand. You’d feel your bones shatter, but in the end you will see that it will be you who will connect and shape everything.

Behold, for Life is about to turn you into a diamond, that no matter how hard others will hit you, you will never break.

You are good but bad things happen to you? Cheer up, you lucky one! Life is making you strong; Life is making you precious…because Life loves you.

Once upon a time, there was a very busy chat room in a site named English Club. One could see all kinds of life form in there - humans, half-humans, cyborgs, animals, flowers, and yes, also life forms from other dimensions such as fairies, ghosts, zombies, aliens, and many more.

Whenever these creatures entered this virtual world, their fingers or toes or wings or beaks instantaneously tapped their respective keyboards. Not a single sound was coming out from their voice boxes, but it seemed their virtual room was always filled with loud noises. When they needed to shout, they used capitalized words. When they felt like crying, they used a teary emoticon.

The room was like a flea market at its busiest, and the exchange of words and sentences could match the speed of a rolling slot machine. But along with every chatter’s type-written sentences were emotions and reactions of joy, sadness, innocence, flattery, and even outright stupidity.

This room was not only a place for fun and laughter, but also for argumentation and resolution of both serious and absurd issues. Here, friendships were built, broken and repaired.

Then came the day when their virtual universe suddenly disappeared. Feelings of dismay came in different ways. Questions were answered, but the chatters remained frantic.

Most of them used the “Latest Activity” page to show how frustrated they were. A fairy was incessantly shouting, “Anybody online?” One from the animal kingdom wrote an open Letter of Complaint. Some threatened to leave the site for good while others were patiently waiting in the background, hoping for the immediate restoration of their virtual universe.

In one corner, amidst the darkness in the virtual kingdom, this writer saw a bright light shining through, so she finished the story with the typical ending of once-upon-a-time stories: AND THE CHATTERS LIVED “ENGLISHLY” EVER AFTER.

While I was in the main chat room yesterday, a fellow EC member asked me to bring up a topic. I told him in jest: “Okay, how about my criminal mind?” He replied with another question: “Why do people kill…commit murder?” In answer, I typed the words “greed”, “power”, “lust”. His next question shocked me. “Will you have the heart to do it?” Whoa! I almost fell off the chair. I was about to answer again when all of a sudden other members entered the chat room and then all I could see were “hi”, “hello”, “how are you?”, “fine”, “thank you”.

I got lost in the crowd, so to speak, so I decided to post my answer here.

My answer would have been this: “Murder, no; killing, yes…if I’m compelled by circumstances.”

Murder and killing (in its restricted sense) are two different types of taking a person’s life. In murder, the murderer is motivated by something evil such as those I’ve previously mentioned. He plans the killing (premeditation) or he commits the act in a treacherous manner (the act is so sudden, giving no time for the victim to defend himself). On the other hand, killing is justified in cases of self-defense, defense of family members or even strangers, or done in fulfillment of a duty (a police officer, for example). This is where Machiavelli’s principle “the end justifies the means” applies.

If the killer is insane…is his act justified? No, but he is exempt from punishment. He will not get the rope, the gas, or the needles because he is deprived of intelligence – a necessary element of intent.

Many critics say that the defense of insanity is being abused by cunning lawyers. I disagree. When the circumstances surrounding the case are sufficient to declare the assailant (killer) insane at the time of the act, then temporary insanity is a proper defense.

We are human beings with emotions that may get us out of control anytime. Too much anger may cloud our intelligence. We may lose our consciousness if we are threatened or endangered. “Fight or flight” is a normal response. After regaining complete consciousness, we might not even believe ourselves that we’ve done something that gross.