How often have we heard the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you? Recently on Good Morning America, an interpretation of the golden rule was used. The topic was parents dealing with stress.

The guest speaker said that parents, specifically moms, should reverse the Golden Rule. She said that moms can alleviate stress by doing unto themselves as they would do unto others. So many times as parents we are busy running errands, paying bills and catering to others that we don’t take time for ourselves.

A nice bubble bath was one suggestion offered for relieving tension. The idea is to just do something that you find relaxing. When I asked friends what they did to relieve tension they said, “Listen to soothing music, watch the sunrise/sunset or laugh until your stomach aches.”

Another interpretation of the Golden Rule can be found in a children’s picture book titled, "Do Unto Otters" by Laurie Keller. This book is a cute concept for teaching children about manners. It also demonstrates how to get along with others.

In the story, Mr. Rabbit’s new neighbors are Otters and he wonders whether they will get along or become friends. The wise Mr. Owl tells Mr. Rabbit to “just treat otters the same way you’d like them to treat you.”

Some people believe that living the Golden Rule can lead to your own happiness. When you treat people with kindness, you will notice that people begin to treat you better. As the Zen Habits blog describes, “you find a growing satisfaction in yourself and knowledge that you are a good person." (18 Practical Tips for Living the Golden Rule)

One tip the Zen Habits blog gives is to practice empathy. The author suggests putting yourself in the shoes of another person and trying to understand what they are going through. The question was raised, how would you want to be treated? This does not mean you should treat someone exactly as you’d want them to treat you. It means, “you should try to imagine how they want to be treated and do that."

The movie "Pay it Forward" reminds me of an example of the Golden Rule. In the movie a 12-year-old boy does a good deed for someone, and when they thank him, he says, “Pay it forward.” In essence, he encourages the next person to do a good deed for someone else.

Whether we use the Golden Rule to teach our children manners, as a way to de-stress, or to simply make someone feel better, a life lesson can be learned.

Pay it forward.

Angela Verges is a writer and mother of two who works hard at finding time to relax. She can be reached at awritersdream41@yahoo.com.