Karma, karmic debt and repayments

Blogging these days has become a means by which I capture my thoughts and keep it for future reflection. I'd go so far as to liken it to keeping a diary but one I can share. There are certain actions, thoughts and feelings which I'd like to preserve only to read it again in a few weeks/months/years. For example the piece on having been at Obama's Inauguration or my conversation with my brother on faggot balls (still brings a chuckle)

So what's it to be today? Well I was sitting having a foot reflexology and the one thought that kept going through my head was 'karma'. I forget each time how painful it is and I felt that this was the universe extracting its payback!

Actually it goes a little further and deeper, several occurrences have been happening for me to sit and ponder over karma, karmic debt and its repayment.

I went to visit my nieces and their living conditions made me want to cry. Now, is this their karma or are they caught in their parents karma?

I recently got myself entangled in a bitter argument(s) with someone I'd considered a dear friend. Needless to say we aren't on talking terms. Since I was initially at fault, I've apologized profusely but to deaf ears. I am at peace and happy after having done so however, so does this mean that I've taken care of it in this life and my debt will not be carried forward into the next?

I've opened my house in what I'd initially thought was me doing a good deed only to have problems of mega proportion sit at my doorstep. Now is this my karma or the people I'm trying to help?

If we all lived with the saying "what goes around comes around" don't you think there'd be far less debt to be paid off? But of course, we being insufferable humans filled with skepticism, we'd far doubt genuine goodness in another's behavior than believing that there's always agendas and hidden motives to be plotted and executed. Afterall it does make it easier doesn't it? We now don't have to hold ourselves accountable to having to live at a higher state of existence! Seriously, would we know how to live in a world where peace and goodness prevailed? Where greed and corruption did not exist? Where men are equal??

So ok, I digressed at bit but honestly what can we do for ourselves in terms of ensuring that we do not accumulate more karmic debt? And if we feel we have paid up some if not all. how do we help ensure that the other person is also debt free? Are we in it just for ourselves?? Should I even bother with these questions, which most likely will not yield any answers and just live life applying the golden rule??