Following the Rules

What about just following the rules? I am a rule follower. If I am turning a corner, I put on my turn signal, even if there is not another car in sight. I buckle my seat belt. I pay my bills. I am on time to work and rarely ask to leave early. When I have an extra duty, I am always there on time and usually the first one to report for duty. If I am able, I follow the rules. Always have. It has gotten me nowhere. I am not rich. I am not my bosses favorite. I have won no awards for doing my job and being where I am supposed to be. In fact, it almost works against me. The people that are consistant about not following the rules are excused for some reason. On the rare occasion that I do not follow the rules, it is noticed. Mainly because it is so rare. Now, as the comment on my blog said, What about just following the rules? Yep. The world would go much smoother. No one would run stop signs, or speed, or drive under the influence. Many things would be different. Bills would be paid and our economy would be in much better shape. There would be no affairs or lying. God gave us the set of rules that would keep this world going and functioning. I think that part of the reason we are in such bad shape is that very few people can say they are rule followers. Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourself in addition to the ten commandments. If everyone followed that one rule, this world would look a whole lot different. Tomorrow I am going to a burial for a former friend. She was not a rule follower. She tried to break every social rule in the book. She chose an alternate live style in the 1950s, which definitely did not follow the rules. She went to the Service in WWII. Not all that common for women. She chose a profession that was all men and she did well at it. Her family was from New York and were friends with FDR and Eleanor, yet she chose to move to Nebraska. She did not back down for other people but stood to her beliefs. At one time, she and I were very good friends and she listened to all my woes. She was a very good listener. Then she started to get very possessive of me, and later of one of our other friends. She started lying to get her way and then our friendship ended. Now, I am going to meet with our other friend and be there when they put her in the ground. I feel sad but I don't really know why. Janny said it is the marking of time. I think she is right. What if she would have followed the rules? How different her life would have been.
Another part of "Why not follow the rules?" goes toward our judicial system and our police. One of my co-workers got picked up for DWI. This is not a good thing for a teacher. Should be a horrible thing and one to be avoided at all costs. But, when the court report came out it wasn't a DWI after all so there was hardly any punishment. I don't want this person to go to jail or lose his/her job but why doesn't this person have to follow the rules? Why isn't the punishment consistant? I saw a gal tonight that was accused of embezzeling thousands of dollars but when the court report came out a few weeks ago, she got a slap on the wrist. I am guessing she has already paid back the money but the sentence didn't mention restitution, so I don't know. She lives in a brand new house and drives a beautiful vehicle. Not following the rules paid off for her. I could go on forever but I am rambling. I just don't understand why rules are for some people and not for other people. This would be an easier place to live if everyone followed the rules. (Please don't comment about how so many things wouldn't be here if people followed the rules and how inventions and such came about because people didn't follow the rules. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about rules for living and how to treat people and safety rules.)